The Only Thing
by Rae D. Magdon
Summary: Thessia has fallen to the Reapers, and Tevos is left to deal with the ashes that remain. With the end rapidly approaching, she finds comfort from an unexpected source and questions how love can grow when the rest of the galaxy is dying. Aria/Tevos, TBE Universe. Takes place in between The Best Entertainment/Again and Match Made In Purgatory.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing:** Aria/Tevos, (Liara T'Soni/FemShep)

**Warning: **You know what to expect with me. Ejaculating dildos, D/s, bondage, humiliation kink. Plus some vanilla scenes without any of that stuff.

**AN:** Thank you all for being so supportive during my hiatus! Your messages were really touching. I'm very pleased to announce that my mental health break is over, and I'll be updating regularly again. =D I finished all the editing I needed to do. I'm still recovering, so please be gentle as I dive back into Mass Effect. For those of you who don't know, I was offered publishing contracts for several of my novels with Desert Palm Press. Dark Horizons (with Sy Itha) will be released on March 1st, and a reboot of The Second Sister is coming on April 1st. After that, Dante! This is my new February story, and on March 1st, the day Dark Horizons is released, I'll be finishing this and publishing the first chapter of Now And Again (the sequel to For Now And Always).

**. . .**

**The Only Thing**

**. . .**

Tevos stared at the terminal in front of her, one hand hovering over the controls. Her vision was starting to blur from lack of sleep, but even when she closed her eyes, she could see the name flashing on the screen. Commander Shepard. The Normandy's signal was just strong enough for the terminal to pick up. Tevos sighed and hung her head. She knew why Shepard was calling, why everyone had been calling. The Reapers had landed on Thessia.

The matriarchy was in a panic. While the other races had prepared for the coming invasion, gathering their armies and evacuating as many civilians as possible, the matriarchs had held back. Thessia had been at peace for thousands of years. They refused to believe that the horrors of war would touch the crown jewel of the galaxy. None of them had heeded the warnings. Now, Thessia was burning. Her home was burning.

The casualty reports were staggering. Millions dead in the first several hours alone. She had checked the numbers every few minutes, unable to believe the alerts her omnitool was receiving. But by the end of the first day, all communications from Thessia had disappeared. It was impossible to send messages in or out. The casualty list had not been updated since, but Tevos knew that the death toll was unfathomable. When she opened her eyes again, Shepard's name swam in front of her face. Perhaps there was some hope left. Thessia was lost for now, but if Shepard had managed to extract more information about the Crucible from the beacon…

Her fingers shook as she finally accepted the connection. She folded her hands behind her back, straightening her shoulders as a miniature version of Commander Shepard appeared before her. The image was a little grainy, but she could make out the weary slump of the human's shoulders. Tevos did not want to imagine what Shepard had seen on Thessia. She tried to speak, but the first word cracked. Her throat was tight with unshed tears. She swallowed and tried again. "Commander Shepard, are you there? Commander?"

Shepard braced her arms on the edge of something – a desk, perhaps, or a railing – and hung her head. Tevos desperately wanted Shepard to look at her, but when their eyes finally met, she could only see pain etched into Shepard's face. "Councilor… the mission…" Her voice trailed off, and Tevos's heart sank.

"We've lost all contact with Thessia. The planet has gone dark. How soon will the Crucible be ready to deploy?"

"Councilor, I wish the news was better." Shepard straightened up, and Tevos recognized the pose immediately. It was the same one that she was trying to hold, standing tall even in the face of certain defeat. "We didn't get the information."

She had known. Even before Shepard had contacted her, she had known. How could a single human, even a human as remarkable as Shepard, defeat such odds? "What happened?"

"Cerberus was there. We were… we were defeated. We don't know how to finish the Crucible."

"I – I don't know what to say." This was her fault. Her responsibility. If she had found the courage to defy the matriarchs' wishes and told Shepard about the beacon sooner, perhaps the outcome would have been different. "What was the situation on Thessia?" she asked, even though she did not want to know.

"Deteriorating fast. The Reapers are there in strength."

Tevos heard the exhaustion in Shepard's voice. The guilt. All of the same emotions that she was struggling to contain. She raised her hand to her forehead, hoping it would shield the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. "Then you'll excuse me. There are… preparations to make. The continuity of civilization to consider."

That thought was almost laughable. Reaper ships left nothing but ashes behind. The weak plan that she and the few remaining matriarchs had thrown together had almost no chance of succeeding. No matter where they hid, the Reapers would find them. They would wipe out every colony, every world, every single life in the galaxy. She pinched the bridge of her nose, ignoring the tears that dripped over her fingers. She doubted Shepard could see them over the weak connection. "I never thought this day would come," she murmured, pulling her hand away.

Shepard hesitated for a moment. Was she crying, too? "None of us did."

The transmission ended, and Tevos slumped down into her chair. She did not have the strength to remain standing. There were calls she needed to make, but she could not find her voice. She just needed a few seconds. A moment to collect herself before she broke the news to the Council and the matriarchs. There was nothing to be done anyway. Another minute would hardly make a difference when the end of the universe was upon them.

Tevos buried her face in her hands and let the tears fall. Everything was gone. Her home, her friends, her entire planet. The beacon was at the temple in Armali, where she had grown up. If Shepard's demeanor was any indication, the city had been completely destroyed. She had no idea where her mother was, and at least half of the matriarchal council was still out of contact. Most of them were probably dead.

Guilt burned through the pit of her stomach, leaving a gaping hole behind. This was her fault. Thessia was dying in flames because she had not acted quickly enough. Shepard had saved her life twice, but she had not heeded the Commander's warnings until it was too late. Now, Thessia was lost, and the rest of the asari would follow soon after. Everything that she held dear had been ripped from her hands.

Or, almost everything.

Suddenly, she wanted Aria. It was a foolish desire, especially now, but fierce in its intensity. Tevos hated herself for it. Thessia was burning, millions were dead, and all she could think about was a single asari. An asari that probably did not even like her very much. During the limited time they spent together, Aria had proved to be a compatible sex partner, but Tevos could never forget what she really was. The Pirate Queen of Omega. Ruthless and uncompromising. She had no idea why Aria was even entering her thoughts at a time like this.

She needed to call Sparatus and Valern. Needed to tell them what had happened. She wiped her wet hand on the skirt of her dress and reached for her Omnitool. As irrational as it was, she did not want to touch the terminal anymore after her conversation with Shepard. She squeezed a few more tears from her eyes and brushed them away with her other sleeve, trying to regain some of her composure. She needed to remain calm. This was her job. After her horrible failure, the least she could do was present herself with some semblance of dignity until the end. Her people deserved that much from her.

Tevos's hand shook as she scrolled through her contacts, searching for Sparatus's name. She gave up before she even found it. What could he do to help her? The turian military was busy defending Palaven, and the matriarchs had denied his requests for aid. Tevos had even agreed with them at the time, convinced that Shepard would finish the Crucible before the Reapers destroyed the turian military force and reached Thessia. Now, she regretted her decision. Her hands were stained with more than just asari blood.

She closed her contact list and opened up the golden-booted messenger icon instead. She needed to tell Asari High Command what had happened. Most of the matriarchal council had been on Thessia when the Reapers hit, and the few that remained were in no condition to give orders anymore. She composed a short but clear message, hardly even processing the words: _'Thessia is lost. Divert all remaining resources to the Crucible. Order all survival groups to go dark.'_

Tevos had little hope that the Crucible would work without the missing components, but they had no other choice. Even if all the remaining military forces in the galaxy managed to unite behind Shepard, they would still not be strong enough to defeat the Reapers. She had even less faith that the small asari colonies tucked away on remote worlds would remain undiscovered. Each had just enough members to sustain a viable breeding population, and the hope was that their long lifespans might allow them to outlast the Harvest. Tevos had chosen not to accompany any of the groups even though she met the strict genetic requirements. Her place was here, for better or worse. She would remain the Asari Councilor until her death.

With a shuddering sigh, she reread the brief message one last time. _Thessia is lost…_

"Goddess, I am so sorry," she whispered to the empty room. There were still civilians trapped on Thessia. If Asari High Command listened to her orders, no help would come to them. But maybe it did not matter. Unless Shepard performed one of the miracles she was famous for and found a way to activate the Crucible without the catalyst, they would all die anyway.

Tevos sent the message. After a moment's consideration, she deleted the last sentence and re-sent it to Sparatus and Valern. Surely they knew what had happened to Thessia by now, but at least this way, they would see that she was trying to do something about the situation. Without the matriarchs to stop her, she would give them all the resources they had been begging for from the beginning. Once she was finished, she switched off her omnitool and bent over her desk, weeping into her arms. She wept for Thessia, for the countless lives that had been lost, for her own terrible mistakes. She wept until it hurt too much to continue crying and she had no tears left.

Finally, she raised her head and wiped her face, sitting up straight in her chair. She could not stay here, alone in this room when the galaxy was dying around her. Her loneliness was almost as crippling as her guilt. She needed… someone.

Her stinging eyes flicked back to her omnitool. Temptation rose. Would it be so wrong to forget, even just for one night? Was it selfish to surrender what little control she had left in order to feel sane again? She was not sure whether she wanted punishment for her sins or mind-numbing bliss, but she knew one asari who could give it to her. She reactivated her omnitool and began typing in a familiar serial number. She hesitated half-way through, torn with indecision. How could she take what little pleasure and release remained to her in this life when so many others were suffering?

But she needed this. She needed something mindless and primitive. It was a good thing that Aria T'Loak was currently on the Citadel, supervising the transfer of her business assets back to the recently reclaimed Omega station. Otherwise, she would have had no one to turn to. "Just tonight," Tevos told herself as she stood up from her chair. "Just tonight, to forget." She activated the connection.

Aria answered almost immediately. The image of her face on the screen was clear, but as unreadable as ever. "I thought you'd call," she said, not even bothering with a hello.

Tevos sighed. It still hurt to take deep breaths, and her chest ached. "Am I that predictable to you after only a few months?"

"Not predictable." The tattoo on Aria's brow lowered, and her eyes narrowed. She looked even more predatory than usual. "You've been crying."

"All communications from Thessia are dark. Yes, I've been crying."

"Just crying?"

"No. I set a few things in motion, but I fear it's too late. There's nothing else I can do now."

"That bad, huh?" Aria's lips twitched up into a weak smile, but her expression was far from happy. Although she usually had trouble deciphering Aria's emotions, Tevos could see the pain in her eyes. At one time, before she had become the Queen of Omega, Thessia had been Aria's home, too. In a way, it was home to every asari in the galaxy, even the ones who had not been born there. "So, you want to spend the end of the universe with me?"

Tevos nodded. "At least for a few hours."

"You melded with me after I took Omega back," Aria said softly. Her smile vanished. "I'll help you now."

Tevos let out a soft sob of relief before she could stifle it. Aria understood. Despite their differences, Aria always seemed to know exactly what she needed. She could not begin to fathom why, but she was incredibly grateful. "Are you still in the same apartment?"

"For now. I won't be staying long."

Tevos did not know why, but hearing that Aria planned to leave upset her. It should not have come as a surprise. Of course Aria was going to leave. Once Thessia was completely destroyed, the Citadel was the next logical target. She shook herself. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Aria cut off the call without a goodbye, leaving Tevos to gaze around the empty room once again. She smoothed out her dress, and when she turned toward the door, her face was mostly dry. The end of the universe could wait for a few more hours.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

Tevos had barely stepped through the door to Aria's apartment when warm, hungry lips collided with hers. She let out a soft cry of surprise and nearly stumbled backwards, but firm hands settled around her waist, pulling her hips forward instead. A shudder rippled through her body at the possessive grip. Aria had not even given her a moment to think. This was exactly what she needed. Pure, raw physicality. Something to shut down all of her thoughts.

Aria kissed her until she couldn't breathe, backing her up at the same time. Her shoulders hit the wall, and the doorframe dug uncomfortably into her back, but she could not find it in herself to care. She was consumed by Aria's mouth, Aria's tongue, Aria's teeth. She whimpered as those teeth tugged forcefully at her lower lip, and her hips pushed forward on their own this time, searching for some kind of purchase. The collar of Aria's jacket tickled her cheek, and she caught the scent of leather and sex.

"Please," she gasped as Aria's lips pulled back, allowing her just enough space to speak "Please, I need..."

"I know." Aria reached up to stroke the side of her face in a surprisingly tender gesture, cupping her jaw briefly before drawing her in for another hot, deep kiss.

Tevos closed her eyes and surrendered. For a few blissful moments, she would not think about Thessia, the matriarchs, or the Reapers. They did not exist. The only thing that mattered was Aria. The only thing she could focus on was Aria's mouth as it claimed hers. The only thing she felt was the heat where their skin touched. The only thing she needed was Aria's hands on her, taking her, filling her and driving her over into ecstasy.

Aria made quick work of her dress, ripping it off so that she would not have to bother with the zipper. Tevos flinched slightly, but she was not afraid. Aria had fallen into the habit of destroying her clothes over the past few months. Although sex with the Queen of Omega often rode the thin line between pleasure and pain, it was never too much for Tevos to handle. She welcomed Aria's restrained violence tonight, craved the power she wielded so effortlessly. Instead of being a weapon, it would be her comfort. Aria had perfect control over it.

"Please," Tevos begged again. Aria's teeth took her throat, digging into her flesh and leaving a bruise that would last for days. "Please… use me." She did not want to be the asari councilor anymore. She did not want to be the one responsible for Thessia's destruction. She only wanted to be Aria's. If she was only Aria's to use, to fuck, she couldn't fail. All she needed to do was obey and submit.

Aria did not make her wait. She tugged the remaining scraps of her ruined dress away from her body and snapped the thin straps of her underwear, letting them fall to the floor. Tevos shivered, all too aware of her nakedness. She felt the whisper of leather against her stomach, tracing a horizontal line from hipbone to hipbone, and gasped when she realized that Aria had not taken off her gloves. She usually removed them during sex along with the rest of her clothes, but Tevos was surprised at how pleasurable the smooth texture felt against her bare skin.

"You want me to use you?" Aria's voice was a low, dangerous growl beside her crest. She felt the pant of hot breath against her cheek. "Then tell me. Who do you belong to?" The hand on her stomach slid down, pausing just before it cupped between her legs. Tevos drew in a shaking breath. She knew that Aria would not touch her until she answered.

"You."

Aria's fingers found her, sliding directly over the swollen ridge of her clit, and Tevos let out a broken sob. She could not help it. She stared down, desperate to see what was happening between their bodies. What she saw made her clench and shudder with desire. She was so wet that she was dripping over onto Aria's gloved fingers, making the black leather glisten with her desire.

"I don't even need to work you up," Aria murmured against her throat, pressing a kiss on top of the bite mark she had left behind. "You were ready for me to fuck you before you stepped through the door."

Tevos released another pulse of wetness onto Aria's gloved hand, bucking against the torturous fingers that rubbed back and forth over her clit. It was true. She had been ready. Imagining the way Aria would claim her had been the only pleasant thoughts that were strong enough to drive out her despair, and she had focused on them intently on the way over. Her body had been vibrating with tension before she even entered Aria's apartment.

Aria did not seem to expect an answer from her, and Tevos was relieved. She was not sure she could form words anymore. When Aria's free hand slid down to grip her knee, drawing it up to hook around her waist, all she managed was a low whimper of need. Since she knew that touching Aria was off limits, at least for now, she clung to the collar of her jacket instead. She needed something, anything to hold onto. Her inner muscles spasmed, clutching at nothing, and she ached with emptiness. She wanted Aria's fingers inside of her, filling her, fucking her until she screamed out everything she had been struggling to holding back.

"Goddess, you're so wet…" Aria trapped the base of her clit between two fingers, pinching it roughly as she stroked up and down. The motion made Tevos's hips jerk. It was almost too much, too intense, but no matter how much she squirmed and writhed, Aria kept her pinned and refused to let up the pressure. "So swollen for me. So desperate." This was normally the part where Aria made demands of her, drew out her torment and forced her to humiliate herself in the most delicious, arousing ways. But this time, she did not ask any more questions. She did not break her down into a shuddering mess of need. Somehow, Aria sensed that she was already beyond that point. "Tell me you're mine, and I'll give you what you need."

Those were words that Tevos never had trouble saying. "I'm yours," she gasped. Once was not enough. She repeated them again and again as Aria's fingers slid down, teasing the ring of muscle at her entrance. "I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm…" She swallowed the last word and threw her head back against the wall, crying out as Aria finally thrust inside of her, filling her completely. Firm, knowing fingers hooked against her inner wall, dragging over the ridged muscle on each stroke. Pressure and fullness pounded between her legs, and for just a moment, it aligned with her frantically beating heart.

"Come for me."

She came. In Aria's hand, around her fingers, and all over her expensive leather glove. Wetness flooded from inside of her, filling Aria's palm. Her inner muscles twitched greedily, trying to take Aria's thrusts even deeper. At the same time, her mind reached out in a frantic meld. Aria let her latch on, let her draw, let her release all of the emotions she had been holding back. Tevos poured all of her feelings into Aria. Her fear, her anger, her hatred, her grief. Tears leaked from her eyes and ran down her face.

_'It's my fault. I should have done more. I should have...'_

Aria did not let her complete the thought._ 'Don't think. Don't feel. Just let go.'_ She started thrusting again, and Tevos screamed as Aria took her lips in another kiss. Aria's thumb settled over her clit, circling over and over again, and her despair was blotted out by another powerful release. She pulsed and spilled over in a flash of trembling wetness and heat, shouting Aria's name until her throat lit up with pain and her face was covered with tears.

Finally, she slumped forward, sagging against Aria's chest. Her leg fell back to the floor, but she would have fallen over without Aria's support. She let out a soft noise of protest as Aria's fingers pulled out of her and the meld faded away. She had not sensed many of Aria's feelings through their joining. Aria had allowed herself to be a vessel, to absorb and take all the feelings Tevos could not bear to keep to herself. It was a style of melding that took a lot of effort, and Tevos was grateful that Aria had done it for her. "Thank you," she whispered, burying her face in the warmth and safety of Aria's neck.

Her brief moment of peace did not last long.

"You aren't finished yet. It's my turn." Aria gripped the back of her neck, tightening just enough to make her meaning clear. When she pushed down, Tevos dropped obediently to her knees. Her heart picked up speed again, thumping heavily in her chest. She ran her tongue along her dry lips, and every breath she took sounded unnaturally loud in her ears. Aria touched the side of her face again, urging her to look up without words, and Tevos lost herself in the swirling darkness of her eyes.

Movement pulled her attention away and broke the spell. Tevos watched as Aria's hand crept lower along the line of her stomach, undoing the top button of her pants and tugging down the zipper. She bit her lower lip with her teeth. Aria's glove was still wet. Moments ago, those fingers had been inside of her. She held perfectly still as Aria eased out of her clinging black pants, watching the hypnotic motion of her hips, and she felt a throb of anticipation directly between her legs.

Aria did not bother shoving her pants all the way down. She left them at mid thigh and reached out, pulling Tevos forward with a firm tug. "Why don't you put that pretty mouth of yours to work? Coming with you wasn't enough."

Tevos shuddered, and all the tension melted from her stiff muscles. This was a task she could do without worrying about failure. Getting Aria off was easy. She dipped her head forward, using her thumbs to spread the outer lips of Aria's azure so that she could see what she was doing. She let out a soft whimper when she noticed how wet Aria already was for her, how strained the tip of her clit looked beneath its hood. She hurried to pull it between her lips, letting her eyes close as she lost herself in Aria's scent and taste.

She took her time, taking pleasure in each low groan and hitched breath that came from above her. She lavished attention on Aria's clit for several minutes, teasing and circling the swollen ridge until the fingers on the back of her neck tightened to the point of discomfort and directed her lower. When Aria's hips pushed forward, she thrust her tongue past her entrance, trying to curl it forward. She would have used her fingers, but when she tried, Aria shook her head and discouraged her with a look. Tevos was not sure why. Perhaps Aria simply wanted the moment to last longer, too.

She fell into a comfortable, relaxed haze as she teased Aria closer and closer to the brink, sucking the stiff point of her clit, covering her glistening folds with flat, broad strokes, and sliding down to taste her reward from the well of sweetness at Aria's opening. She was everywhere at once, savoring and tasting, throwing herself into the one task that she knew she could perform well. For a few minutes, the only thing in the galaxy that mattered to her was Aria's orgasm. Everything else faded into the background, and her mind was blissfully empty.

Tevos was so focused on her task that Aria's meld came as a surprise. Suddenly, two became one, and she was not alone in her mind. She had not been prepared for the meld, but she welcomed it anyway, taking Aria into herself and drawing comfort from her calm, reassuring strength. Aria filled her mind, driving out all other thoughts, all other worries, all other cares.

Aria came a few seconds later, covering her cheeks with a burst of slick, dripping heat, and Tevos hurried to suck the hard, pulsing ridge of her clit, easing her through her orgasm. After the heaviest contractions finished, she hurried to clean Aria's folds and the pulsing ring of her opening, pulling as much wetness as she could into her mouth and onto her tongue. Finally, she sat back on her heels, her heart beating slowly as she came back into herself, threads of Aria still weaving themselves through her mind.

"Come here," Aria said. She tugged her pants off the rest of the way and sat on the ground, undoing her boots before pulling Tevos into her arms. Tevos accepted the embrace gladly, a little confused by the gesture of comfort at first. Then, she remembered. She remembered that Thessia was burning and all hope was lost. All of the emotions that she had displaced came flooding back, although they were not quite as sharp as before. Aria had helped take the edge off of her pain.

She buried her face in Aria's shoulder and cried, a little embarrassed at breaking down in front of the Queen of Omega, but knowing that there was no one else on the Citadel that she trusted more. That realization came as a surprise. She was not sure how the tenuous bond between them had developed, and she knew that Aria usually only viewed her as a soft body to warm her bed, but in this moment, when the galaxy was about to end, Aria had shown her a brief flare of compassion.

"I… I'm so sorry," she stammered, sobbing into the collar of Aria's jacket.

Aria's hand moved over her back in soothing circles. "You're not the first woman to cry after a scene with me." The intentionally dismissive comment only made Tevos cry harder. In her own strange way, Aria was trying to make her feel better. Why? She did not understand. "Come on," Aria said, carefully prying herself out of Tevos's arms. "The bed is probably more comfortable."

. . .

**AN: I'm on facebook now! Link in my profile ( raedmagdon). I reeeeally hate facebook but had to give in and get an author profile page thingy. I'll be updating there fairly frequently.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

Tevos allowed Aria to help her to her feet and lead her back into the apartment. She left the ruined scraps of her dress where they lay, wanting to feel the press of Aria's naked skin on hers. Hopefully, Aria would be willing to indulge her for a little longer. The sex had helped, but she still felt emotionally unstable, and Aria's behavior only added to her confusion. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, unable to hold back the question as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "Why do you… care?"

Aria stopped in the middle of the hallway. "What, you think because I'm a criminal I can't care about something?" Fortunately, she did not look angry as she spoke. Her eyes were still dark from the lingering traces of the meld, and Tevos could not read them. "Thessia was my home once. Besides, if the Reapers destroyed Omega…" Her brow lowered. "You were there for me after I took it back. You felt how confused my mind was."

Tevos was stunned. This was a complete turnaround from Aria's usual behavior. She normally enjoyed Aria's selfishness during sex since it lined up so perfectly with her own desires, but this uncharacteristic display of empathy confused her. "Thank you," she murmured as Aria led her into the bedroom. She perched on the edge of the mattress, grateful for a comfortable place to sit.

Aria sat beside her, stripping off her gloves and tossing them onto the floor. She had probably decided that they were ruined thanks to their passionate encounter against the wall. Her jacket came next, but she took the time to fold it before setting it at the foot of the bed. She undid the laces of her corset, working the clips with nimble fingers until she freed herself from the bindings. When she turned back to Tevos, she was completely naked. "Now, tell me what happened."

Tevos took a deep breath. She was not sure how much of the situation she should, or could, explain to Aria. Eventually, she decided that since it was close to the end of the universe, it didn't really matter if she revealed any confidential information, especially confidential information that the rest of the Galaxy would be discovering soon enough. "You know about the weapon Shepard and the Council are trying to build? The Crucible?" Her voice nearly broke on the word. Not even the Crucible would be able to save them now. Perhaps it had been foolish to put all their hope in it in the first place.

"The giant superweapon that's magically supposed to save us all?" Aria snorted. Her brow furrowed, and the empathy and… had it been tenderness? … that Tevos had seen in her eyes was gone. "Yeah, I know about it. Omega's a little short on scientists, but Shepard talks a lot when she's drunk."

Tevos's eyes widened in surprise, and the stinging behind them faded a little. Aria's cryptic comment had successfully distracted her. "You've seen the Commander drunk?" she asked, not sure whether to be amused or upset. Obviously, the war was taking its toll on Shepard, too.

"Just the one time." A fleeting smile tugged at Aria's tattooed lips. "You're lucky. Her drunken ramblings are part of the reason I ended up seducing you in your office and giving you the best sex of your life over your desk."

"You think I would have said no to you without Shepard's suggestions?" Tevos said, trying to play along, but her heart was not in it. She was not in the mood for banter.

Aria leaned back on the bed, displaying the muscles in her arms and along her stomach. It also gave Tevos an excellent view of her naked breasts. She felt a flare of arousal, and then shame. She still had not completely forgiven herself for needing sex to regain control of her emotions when the rest of the galaxy was dying around her. "Both of us know I would have had you in the palm of my hand anyway," Aria said. "She just gave me a little inspiration."

Tevos decided not to ask any more questions. Her guilt was beginning to weigh on her again, constricting her chest and making it difficult to breathe. She looked down into her lap, twisting her hands together instead of admiring Aria's naked form beside her. "Aria, the Crucible… it's not going to work. The scientists believe there is a missing component called the catalyst. That is what Shepard was trying to retrieve on Thessia."

Aria shifted closer to her on the edge of the mattress. "Shepard was on Thessia? Why?"

"Because I told her to go there." The rest of the explanation came out in a rush. Even though Aria might not have been the best choice of confidant, Tevos could not hold it back any longer. She needed to unburden herself. "There are a number of Prothean beacons on Thessia, beacons we have not shared with the rest of the council. The one in the best working order is on Armali. I sent Shepard there to find it. I had hoped…" Tevos was not a particularly religious person, either towards the goddess or the teachings of siari, but she had spent more time than usual asking some outside force to guide her anyway. "I prayed that the beacon would help her find the catalyst and complete the Crucible." She looked up, forcing herself to meet Aria's eyes. Aria looked stunned. It was the first time that Tevos had ever seen her surprised.

"The matriarchs were hiding Prothean beacons on Thessia? And no one knew about it? They're even more insane than I thought."

Tevos bit her lower lip. Her chest still ached, and she could feel each thud of her heart. "I… did not feel it was my place to reveal its existence before the Reapers came. It would have brought incredibly harsh sanctions on our people. Now, that seems like a poor excuse. I should have come forward with the information earlier, no matter how terrible it made us look. Once I realized that it might help, I begged the Matriarchs to let me tell Shepard about the beacon." She was not exaggerating. Her pleas had been heartfelt, even a little overdramatic. She had offered anything within her power to give in exchange, but she had still been unsuccessful. "None of them budged. I had hoped to convince Jacinth, at least, since she is responsible for the temple in Armali, but…"

"You went behind her back," Aria finished for her.

She nodded. "The cost of waiting was too high. The information was not within my authority to disclose, but I did it anyway. I told Shepard about the beacon and urged her to go to Thessia as quickly as possible, but she was too late." Tevos decided not to mention anything about Cerberus to Aria. Hearing about them still made her angry even though Omega had been reclaimed from Petrovsky several weeks ago. Besides, it did not matter. There was nothing that could be done to fix the situation now. Thessia was lost, and soon, the rest of the universe would follow. Tears filled her eyes again, and she looked away, unwilling to let Aria see her in such pain. She cupped her hand over her face, using her palm to wipe them away before they could fall.

"Thea…"

The sound of her own name made her flinch a little, but her tense muscles were soothed a little when Aria's hand touched the side of her arm. She did not pull away. "I waited too long," she whispered, her voice cracking. "If I had been braver… If I had told her sooner…" Her words deserted her, and she pulled away from Aria, trying to muffle the noise with both hands as she started to sob. Her back shuddered and her throat closed up, pulled so tight that it felt like it was burning. She bent over and wept, not caring what Aria might think of her. This was her fault. She did not deserve comfort. She did not deserve to live while the rest of her people were dying. So many deaths, so much pain and suffering, all because of her decisions.

A presence reached out towards her, pulling at her through her skin. Tevos recognized Aria's mind brushing against hers, trying to initiate a meld. She hesitated, unsure whether she trusted Aria enough to lower her mental barriers when she was already so vulnerable, but what she sensed when she reached out surprised her. There was comfort, strength, and a righteous anger that she had not expected. Not anger towards her, but anger on her behalf.

Too confused to process Aria's feelings when her own were so overwhelming, and too hurt to resist, she let Aria into her mind, hoping her lover would be able to cut through the painful tangle of thoughts threatening to choke her. She unleashed everything she felt, everything she was, and gave it over to Aria, unable to hold it back. '_It was my fault. They're dead because of me. Because I was a coward. Others are suffering… burning… being turned into monsters...'_

'They're dead because of the Reapers.' Aria's voice was surprisingly clear in her head.

_'I let them die.'_ A surge of grief washed over her, so powerful that she could not even form coherent thoughts for several more seconds. Aria shuddered beside her, experiencing the swell of emotion with her._ 'I sent our ships to protect the Crucible. I abandoned them.'_

Aria did not respond with words. Instead, she gave strength. Solid, unwavering strength. It was tinged with a fierce anger, anger at all that had been lost, and set with determination. _'This is not over. We're still alive. The Reapers haven't won until we're all dead, and I don't plan on dying.'_ Tevos had always known that Aria was strong, both physically and mentally. That power had been part of her initial attraction. But she had never felt it with such force before, and she had never thought she could draw comfort from it this way.

Tevos turned towards Aria, throwing her arms around her neck and crying into her shoulder. Aria's hands moved in warm circles over her back. They did not speak. They did not even think. They simply existed together, sharing heartbeats and the bitterness of loss.

Tevos did not know how much time passed as she lost herself in Aria, selfishly taking everything she had to give. When she raised her head and blinked away the last of her tears, Aria looked down at her. Tevos was surprised when Aria's hands came up to cup her cheeks, but she did not pull away as soft thumbs ran beneath her eyes. Before she realized what was happening, her lips were being taken in another kiss. It was different than anything she had ever experienced with Aria before - soft, intimate, not tasting of sex or need.

Finally, the kiss ended, and the last of the meld tapered off. Tevos realized that she could breathe again. Some of the tightness in her chest had faded, and the pounding pressure behind her eyes was gone. Her wounds had bled out for now. "Why?" she asked, unable to hold the question back. Aria had kissed her countless times, but only when they were fucking. Their arrangement had always been about sex and desire. But this kiss had shaken her, and it made her question her previous assumptions about who Aria was. Tevos knew that Aria was complex, but this was a facet of her personality she had never seen before.

"Because I wanted to," Aria whispered beside her mouth. Then, the moment ended. Aria pulled back and gripped her shoulder, and the softness left her face. Her eyes hardened. "All right. I've fucked you and let you cry all over me. It's time for you to get off your ass and try to figure out a way to fix this. Maybe you could have saved some lives if you had told Shepard about the beacon sooner, maybe not. There's no way to know. But Thessia's gone now, and you can't change it. Focus on the bigger picture and do whatever you have to do to help Shepard finish the Crucible."

"You speak as though fixing a broken galaxy is a simple task," Tevos said, unsure whether to be resentful of Aria's abrupt change in behavior or relieved. Right now, it was probably the push she needed.

"You're the fucking Asari Councilor. People need you. Figure it out."

Tevos pulled away from Aria and straightened her spine. "I'll meet with Sparatus and Valern first thing tomorrow morning. I have no idea how I can help Shepard find the catalyst, but I can force both of them to help prepare the Crucible. If we are going to sacrifice Thessia to put all of our ships, scientists, and resources behind the Alliance and the Crucible, they can do the same. If Shepard finds some way to perform another miracle despite the odds, we will be ready."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

"You can't possibly expect us to divert any more resources to the Sol system!" Sparatus leaned forward over the table, gripping the wood with his talons. "We're stretched thin defending Palaven as it is. The krogan have taken some of the pressure off, but we're only a few fights away from losing half the planet!"

Tevos refused to be intimidated, even when Sparatus narrowed his eyes and gave her his most determined expression. She made sure that her own face remained as placid and calm as possible. "I have not asked you to do anything that I haven't done myself, Sparatus. To have any chance of survival, we have to unite our forces behind one goal."

Sparatus flared his mandibles. "Where was this cooperative spirit earlier when I begged Asari High Command to follow the treaties they signed and help protect my homeworld? Now that your precious Thessia is burning, you expect me and the other primarchs to sacrifice our best soldiers and send them to die on an alien world?"

The words stung, digging into the open wounds in her heart, but she forced herself not to react. Sparatus was right. It hurt to focus on Earth while Thessia was being destroyed. But she was right as well, and she was also logical. If Earth fell and the Crucible was destroyed, the rest of the galaxy would follow no matter how hard they fought.

Tevos slid out of her chair and stood up to face Sparatus. "Yes. That is exactly what I expect. The crucible is our only chance. We need to put all of our resources behind it: soldiers, scientists, everything. All we have, even if it means..." She allowed her voice to falter for just a moment. Sparatus possessed a hard personality, but his defenses were not impenetrable. "Even if it means we cannot save our homeworlds. What good would it do if Palaven survives, but the rest of the galaxy falls? Even if you hold out longer than anyone else, you cannot outlast the Reapers. If they destroy the Crucible and take the Sol system, it's only a matter of time."

Sparatus did not answer her right away. He hung his head, staring down at the surface of the conference table. Tevos knew she had him. If Earth was lost, Palaven and Thessia were surely lost as well. If there was even a small chance of stopping the Reapers, they had to take it. "This Crucible," he said, his voice much lower than it had been before, "are you sure it will work? It will stop the Reapers?"

For a moment, Tevos considered lying. It would be easy to sell the Crucible as a guarantee. Then, she remembered the matriarchs. Their lies were the reason that Thessia was under attack. She would not be a part of their deception anymore, even if it meant revealing her own mistakes. "No. We aren't sure. It's still missing a vital component, a component that Shepard was unable to retrieve. We believe it was on Thessia, but we did not make her aware of its existence soon enough."

Sparatus's head jerked up. "What?" he growled, showing even more of his teeth than usual. "You held back information that could finish this weapon and destroy the Reapers? And when you finally got around to telling everyone else about it, you _lost_ it?"

"We did not_ lose_ anything. Cerberus stole it. Commander Shepard is doing her best to come up with a solution to the problem. But yes, we… I... did hold back information that might have helped the scientists complete the Crucible." She let out a deep sigh. If she wanted Sparatus's help, she needed to tell him the whole truth. "There is a partially active Prothean beacon on Thessia. Our researchers have been studying it for centuries. Yes, I know it's illegal to conceal Prothean technology," she continued, silencing him before he could protest by holding up her hand. "I also know that doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is finishing the Crucible. That's why I told Shepard where it was, against the matriarchy's direct orders."

Sparatus remained silent for several moments. Suddenly, he burst out laughing. It was a desperate, pained sort of laugh, but when he looked at her, his expression was no longer disapproving. "You violated a direct order from the matriarchs?"

Tevos gave him a small smile. "It was well past time for me to do something reckless for a change. I should have started following Shepard's example long ago."

"Rushing forward without thinking about the long-term consequences?" Sparatus slumped back down into his chair, and his posture relaxed. "That's the kind of attitude we need when there is no 'long term'."

Tevos took her seat as well, folding her arms on top of the table. Although she and Sparatus did not always agree, she was grateful that they were allies now. "Exactly. And that is why my people are suffering. We were so busy worrying about the future that we did not see what was happening around us in the present. I am afraid that long life does not erase stupidity."

"Nice to see one of you finally admit it. So, what do we do?" Sparatus asked, leaning back in his chair.

"We wait for Valern and convince him to see things from our perspective."

"Valern? Where is he, anyway?" Sparatus paused to look around the room. His gaze lingered on the door, as though he expected Valern to enter at any moment. "He should have been here ten minutes ago."

Tevos did not follow his eyes. Instead, she folded her hands in her lap and remained in a relaxed pose. With everything that was at stake, she felt anything but calm, but she kept tight control over her body language. "I told him the wrong time for the meeting. I wanted to talk to you alone first. He isn't as conservative as some of the other salarians, but I know I can't convince him by myself. I need your help."

Sparatus preened a little, and Tevos could not begrudge him that moment of pride. She was not ashamed of asking for his help, or the help of the turians, when it was so sorely needed. Besides, he was being far more accommodating than the matriarchs had been a few months ago. "How are we going to approach this? Demand his help, or flatter him for it?"

Tevos considered the question for a moment. Valern was not as prideful as some of the dalatrasses back on his homeworld. His decisions were always logical, and sometimes cold. "Present it as his only option. Sur'kesh will not remain safe for long. The salarians have no large military force to speak of, and if the rest of us die, no one will be left to defend them."

"He'll want to know about the beacon," Sparatus warned her.

"It doesn't matter what he thinks. If the Reapers win, there will be no asari left to punish, and no salarians left to be angry."

The door opened before Sparatus could respond, and Valern stepped into the conference room, his robes trailing behind him. He did not bother to seat himself. Instead, he stopped at the edge of the table and remained standing. He did not waste any time with formalities before getting to the point. "Councilor Tevos, if you have called me here to plead for my assistance, I am afraid I cannot help you. Thessia's loss tragic, but unalterable."

Sparatus's thin lips twitched around his teeth, and Tevos could sense his sarcasm before he spoke. She had grown up with a turian father, and had spent centuries after that working with them as a diplomat. She did not even need her translator to understand several of their languages. "She isn't asking you for help. It's not like the salarians have a fleet to send in. If trained asari commandos can't hold off the Reapers in a ground war, your people would be slaughtered in a matter of seconds."

Tevos shot him a warning look, even though she secretly agreed with him. She turned back to Valern and tried to appear placating. "Let me rephrase that. I am not asking you or the clans to help Thessia. My homeworld is lost, and yours will be too if we don't join together now and invest all of our resources in the Crucible."

Valern's already large eyes grew even wider with interest. "The Crucible? I was not aware you were following the weapon's progress so closely. The asari seemed content to ignore it and focus on Thessia instead."

Tevos accepted the blunt assessment with a nod of her head. Although she had convinced the matriarchs to send a few scientists, researchers, and engineers to the Sol system, she had not been able to force them to part with many soldiers or resources. "Things have changed, Valern. The Crucible is our only hope. I advised Asari High Command to divert all of our resources there. It's already too late to save Thessia. We need to destroy the Reapers before the rest of the galaxy follows."

Valern peered at her from beneath his hood. "You want more scientists? It won't be easy. Feelings on Sur'kesh are still sour thanks to Commander Shepard's actions. She did what was necessary, but not all of the dalatrasses understand that."

Tevos leaned forward in her seat. "Pressure them. Make them understand. Give us everything you have, or Sur'kesh will end up just like Thessia." She paused, swallowing down the lump that threatened to rise in her throat. "Surely you saw the broadcasts before everything went dark. Saw the fire. All the corpses. Those screaming, twisted things. Do you want to find out what salarians look like after the Reapers have mutated them?"

When she saw Valern suppress a shudder, she knew she would win. "I can try and send more scientists, but it won't help until we find the catalyst. The Crucible still isn't finished. The catalyst-"

"The catalyst is lost for now," Tevos said. She saw a fleeting expression of surprise cross Valern's face before it shifted to one of confusion.

"You know what it is? Where it is? Why was I not informed?"

"Commander Shepard was informed. I sent her to Thessia to retrieve it."

"The catalyst is on Thessia?"

Tevos explained about the beacon, repeating everything that she had already told Sparatus. She left nothing out, not even her own complicity. As she spoke, the lines in Valern's face grew even deeper. His lower lids rose to cover his eyes, and she could tell that he was angry. Salarians were known for their passionless, logical reactions, but Tevos knew better than to believe that stereotype. Dalatrass Linron's behavior was proof enough that salarians felt emotions just as deeply as everyone else. "This is an incredible breach of trust," Valern said, his voice growing steadily louder. "Concealing active Prothean technology is bad enough, but hiding information that could have completed the Crucible? That is… unforgivable."

"Really, Valern?" Sparatus pushed his chair back and stood up. Tevos remained seated. This was why she had met with him privately first. "Unforgivable? Our allies volunteer information that could save your planet, and you don't want to use it?"

"She kept it from us," Valern protested, but Sparatus cut him off.

"The matriarchs kept it from us, not Tevos. She was disobeying direct orders when she told Commander Shepard about the beacon. Are you saying the dalatrasses are any better? Or even the turian primarchs? I'm sure there are plenty of things on both our planets that violate Council law. Punish the asari for their crimes after the Reapers are destroyed. Right now, we need to use this, or there won't be a Council left at all."

Valern did not respond. He remained silent for a long time. "You're right," he said at last, although there was a heavy note of reluctance in his voice. "The Crucible is our only hope. We must finish it at all costs." He turned to Tevos. "You will have your scientists, and any STG agents I can give you. Take the ones that are active on the Citadel if you must."

Tevos let out a sigh of relief, and some of the ache in her chest faded. She had not realized that she was holding her breath. "Thank you, Valern. I'll take anything you have to offer. None of us can afford to hold back now." Her Omnitool buzzed, and she glanced down at her wrist, surprised that it had gone off in the middle of the meeting. Her settings only allowed high-priority calls to come through. When she saw the name on the display, she understood. "Liara T'Soni," she told Sparatus and Valern, standing up and aiming the Omnitool's projector at the table. "I hope she has good news for us."

A moment later, a miniature version of Liara appeared in the center of the table. Her arms were folded behind her back in a military pose she had probably adopted from Shepard. She was wearing light body armor, and a pistol was strapped to her hip. Tevos had not had much opportunity to speak with Liara, since Commander Shepard was the one who usually communicated with her, but her resemblance to Benezia was striking. "Councilor Tevos…" Liara glanced around, noticing Sparatus and Valern. "Councilors Sparatus, Valern… I apologize for interrupting. The Normandy's comm specialist has managed to extrapolate Kai Leng's destination."

Tevos's heart leapt in her chest. Perhaps there was still hope. "You know where he's going? You can track him?"

"We already have. He's at the Sanctuary facility on Horizon. The Normandy is less than an hour away, and the Commander is preparing her squad for a ground assault." Although Liara did not say so, it was clear that she was one of its members.

"Find him," Sparatus said, circling the table to stand at Tevos's shoulder. "Councilor Tevos has informed us about the beacon and the catalyst. Get that data back at all costs."

Valern took her other side. "Tell the Commander that Admiral Hackett will have scientists, soldiers, resources, everything he needs. We will make sure the Crucible is ready."

Tevos straightened her spine. For the first time in a long time, the Council was united. "May the Goddess watch over you, Liara T'Soni. I hope that you can help Commander Shepard achieve another miracle."

She and Liara shared a long look, and Tevos saw a deep pain in her eyes. Here was someone who had witnessed the destruction of Thessia firsthand. Her jaw set with determination, and she gave the three of them a small bow. "Thank you, Councilors. Commander Shepard will report back to you as soon as we have the catalyst."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

Tevos stared at the front door of Aria's apartment, unsure what she was doing there so soon after her last visit. The obvious answer - sex - did not quite satisfy her, and she was not in the habit of lying to herself to make things simpler. Instead of ringing the buzzer, she waited with her hands clasped in front of her, sorting through her thoughts. She, Sparatus, and Valern had spent hours going through all of their remaining contacts, begging, pleading, and outright demanding resources from everyone they could think of. A few hours later, they received a call from Admiral Hackett. He had been more grateful than Tevos had expected for their contributions, especially considering their previous stingy behavior.

She sighed and unlaced her fingers, debating with herself. Part of her desperately wanted to fly into Aria's arms and hope that the comfort and empathy she had offered weren't a one-time fluke, but there was still more work to do. More calls to make. More resources to find. And what if it Aria's shift in behavior had only been temporary? The tender way Aria had treated her last night had left a mark on her heart, and she was not sure she could bear the disappointment if it did not turn out to be genuine. Eventually, Tevos came to a decision. Something had drawn her here, and until the Normandy contacted her again, there was not much more she could do. If Aria's kindness did not continue, things would just go back to the way they had been before: healing through raw, mindless sex. She would find release from her grief and guilt one way or another.

Tevos reached out and touched the pressure pad beside the door. It opened a few seconds later, and she wondered if Aria had been expecting her again. She stepped into the front room, shuddering as she cast a sidelong glance at the wall beside the door. Warmth blossomed between her legs, and she remembered the way Aria's leather-covered fingers had felt running over her in vivid detail. She waited for a few moments, expecting Aria to greet her, but there was no one to be found. Aria could have used her Omnitool to open the door from anywhere in the apartment, but Tevos suspected she was in the bedroom. Although they had made use of the entire apartment over the past several months, it was still the room that they spent the most time in.

Taking Aria's absence as an invitation, she headed past the large kitchen and down the short hallway. She paused in front of Aria's bedroom door, listening for a moment, but no noise came from inside. Her lips melted into a smile. Aria was probably waiting for her, posed in a very provocative position. Whether she was making a grand entrance or expecting someone else to arrive, Aria always liked to put on a bit of a show. Her pride demanded it.

When Tevos opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see Aria sprawled on top of the bed. She was wearing her usual tight, clinging black pants and leather jacket, but her gloves were gone. Tevos was not sure if she missed them, or if she found their absence erotic. It meant Aria wanted to touch her with bare hands. She wasn't wearing her corset, either, and the gap in her jacket offered a teasing glimpse of her firm breasts. Tevos shivered again, and the pulse of warmth between her legs doubled. There was expectation in the way Aria was dressed.

"So, did you remember you were the asari councilor today?" Aria asked, shifting so that her jacket opened even further.

Tevos was too distracted by the sight of her muscular stomach to be insulted by her comment. "I convinced Sparatus and Valern to help. Salarian scientists from all over Sur'Kesh are analyzing data from the Crucible, and turian warships are already en route to the Sol System."

"What about us?"

"Eezo, ships, engineers, and as many commandos as I could find." Tevos sighed. Although she had gathered as many resources as she could, she had not been able to match the contributions of the other Councilors. "It isn't much, but since all communication with Thessia is still dark, it was the best I could do."

"Convincing that crusty old bird and his bug-eyed sidekick to throw it all in is impressive enough," Aria said. "So, forget about them and come over here."

Tevos did not know what to make of Aria's behavior. She seemed back to normal, and even though Tevos knew she should be relieved, she could not help feeling a little disappointed as well. She missed the secret glimpse she had gotten of Aria's heart. It had surprised her, but it had also moved something within her. She pushed down the brief swell of sadness and focused on the present. Aria desired her, and she craved physical contact almost as much as she wanted another mind to join hers and push out the loneliness. She forced a smile, and it became more genuine as she admired the way Aria's clothes clung to her body. "I thought I finally remembered I was the asari councilor today. Shouldn't I be the one giving the orders?"

Aria's forehead tattoo lifted in surprise and approval, but she shook her head. "That's not how it goes. You've been giving orders all day, and now you're sick of it. I know how your brain works. You want to let go and let someone else control you."

It was the truth, and her desire to let Aria control her had been especially powerful over the past two days, but Tevos was not ready to admit it out loud yet. If Aria wanted her submission, she would have to work for it. "Maybe I'm in the mood for something else. Maybe I've found my confidence."

"You're always confident. Confident enough to tell the matriarchs to fuck off, confident enough to get Sparatus and Valern in line, and confident enough to scream and beg for more when I fuck you." Aria smiled, making the stripe in the center of her lower lip even more prominent. "I like your kind of confidence. It's sexy."

"You think it takes confidence to submit?" Tevos asked. She had always considered it a weakness of hers, a last resort while the rest of her life spun wildly out of control. She had never viewed it as a positive quality before.

"If you're controlling when and how you submit, then yes. I think it takes confidence and a certain amount of courage. Of course, I still like it when you fight me a little sometimes," Aria added, running one of her hands down along her bare abdomen.

Tevos's eyes followed Aria's fingertips, and she gasped as they drew her attention to a variation in her appearance. There was a large swell at the front of Aria's pants. She had been so focused on Aria's breasts, stomach, and hands that she hadn't caught it before. "What is that?" she blurted out, not even trying to be subtle about the abrupt change of subject.

Aria grinned at her. "Finally noticed, huh? I realized this morning that we've been having sex for months, but I've never actually fucked you with a cock before. I thought it was well past time to correct that mistake."

The alien word made Tevos's breath hitch. All of her previous partners had been asari, and none of them had made this particular request before, but she was not entirely surprised that Aria was the first. Her tastes were exotic, and she had centuries of experience with an incredible variety of partners. A few of them had even been males from species with two genders, a fact that Tevos struggled with occasionally, even though she knew she had no claim on Aria whatsoever. "I-I'm not sure," she stammered. Her teasing arrogance fell away. "I don't…"

"I know." Aria sat up on the bed, and Tevos swallowed as she watched the muscles in her abdomen tighten and flex. "You only like asari. But I am an asari. This is just a temporary addition." She cupped one hand over the swell at the front of her pants. Tevos bit her lower lip. "And I promise, it's going to feel really good once I'm inside of you."

Tevos's gaze flicked back up to Aria's face. There was hunger in her eyes, and the edges of her irises were already turning dark with desire. They pinned her and caught her, drawing her in, and she could not look away. She found herself doubting her earlier protests. "I've seen it a few times in the meld," she confessed. She shifted so that her thighs were pressed tight together, trying to ease the sudden pressure there. Memories came flooding back to her, moments when they were so deeply joined that Aria's thoughts became hers. She had caught teasing glimpses of Aria pinning her hips, spreading her open, pushing inside of her, but she had never thought they would become a reality. It was something completely outside of her previous experiences.

"And? What did you think?"

Tevos did not answer. She was not sure what she had thought then, or even what she was feeling now. Aria confused her and made her long for things she did not fully understand. The images had been intense, powerful, but she had thought all of those emotions were coming from Aria. As her eyes wandered back down to the bulge at the front of Aria's pants, she wondered if she had been wrong. Perhaps some of those feelings had been hers. She was not melded with Aria now, but as she admired her lover's body, taking in the familiar lean muscle and the smooth shape of her hands, she could not deny that she was curious.

"I think I want a closer look," Tevos said at last. She ran her tongue over her lips, which were suddenly dry from the unsteady, quick breaths she took. "I'm… intrigued."

Aria's laugh sounded almost like a low purr. She cupped herself briefly, but made no move to undo the button of her pants. "Intrigued? Really?"

Tevos took a few steps toward the edge of the mattress. She could still feel Aria's eyes roaming her body, taking her in, probably thinking about what she would look like once she took off her dress. "Yes. I came here to forget everything else, and this…" She glanced pointedly between Aria's legs. "Well, it certainly qualifies as a distraction."

"I promise it will be a pleasant one," Aria said. "Now, hop up here." She patted the empty space next to her on the bed. "These pants are starting to feel constricting."

Tevos gave Aria a nervous smile. "Unzip me first?" she whispered, turning around to offer Aria her back. Strong hands pulled at her hips, urging her to sit down on the edge of the mattress, and she did not resist.

Aria's lips caught the side of her throat, sliding down towards her shoulder. "I love taking your clothes off," she murmured. The heat of her breath made Tevos shiver. "It doesn't matter whether I'm ripping them apart or peeling them off you."

"Try not to ruin my dress this time," she teased, hoping her nervousness wasn't audible in her voice. "My wardrobe budget has nearly doubled since I started seeing you."

"Good."

Tevos's heart jolted in her chest as Aria unhooked the clasp behind her neck and slowly dragged the zipper down, revealing her back an inch at a time. Warm kisses followed, hot lips and the graze of teeth beside her spine. She did not know whether it was because she was about to try something completely new and alien, whether it had to do with the feelings Aria had stirred in her last night, or whether it was simply her lover's closeness, but the brush of Aria's fingertips between her shoulderblades felt electric. "Please," she whispered. She did not know what she was asking for, but the pressure in her lower belly was already coiled tight, and the fabric of her underwear was soaked through. She was aware of it every time she shifted, and the feel of the material scraping over the tip of her clit was maddening. Surely it would be even worse when Aria finally got around to touching her there.

"What was that?" Aria teased, tugging the sleeves of her dress off her shoulders. "You'll have to speak up. I can't hear you."

Tevos almost repeated herself, but she resisted the temptation. She wanted Aria to work at seducing her at least a little longer before she gave herself over and submitted. "Maybe you should listen more closely next time," she said. The last word broke into a soft whimper as Aria's teeth sank into her shoulder, biting down hard enough to make her whole body stiffen. Another flood of wetness soaked through the fabric of her underwear, and Tevos's face flushed. Aria would surely mention it when she noticed.

"I don't need to listen," Aria whispered into the slick skin of her neck, her lips grazing the bite mark she had just left. "Your body tells me everything I need to know." In another few moments, her dress was off, and Aria was tugging at her undershirt, dragging it up over her head. Tevos raised her arms to help, and as soon as it was gone, Aria's hands went directly between her legs, not even bothering to take off her underwear first. Just as Tevos suspected, Aria could not resist commenting on what she found there. "Hmm, you're awfully wet for someone who wasn't sure about this a few minutes ago. What changed your mind? Or did you even have to change your mind? You like control and power games, and when I'm the one wearing it, a cock is all about power and control."

Tevos let out a long breath. That made perfect sense. Some of her confusion abated. If this was about power, it was no wonder the idea appealed to her. It was an extension of Aria's usual dominance, her unwavering forcefulness and control. "I want to see it," she said, turning her head to try and look at Aria.

The fingers rubbing over her went still, and Aria stopped kissing along her neck. Her smile was all confidence, and it showed just enough teeth to make her look dangerous. "Oh, you're going to do much more than just look at it."

Tevos felt the mattress dip as Aria shifted away from her. She considered standing up and pulling down her underwear before she turned around, but eventually decided against it. She wasn't ready to be completely naked in this new situation. Instead, she flipped around to face Aria, a little surprised and disappointed to see that she hadn't started taking off her pants. Tevos glanced at the bulge between her legs. "Well? Aren't you going to…?"

Aria shook her head. "No. You're going to. Unbutton my pants."

The order sent warmth coursing beneath her skin, and Tevos hurried to obey. This was something she was familiar with, at least - following Aria's commands. She hesitated when her fingers were just an inch away, unsure whether to go straight for the button of Aria's pants or touch the noticeable swell just below. Eventually, she decided to take a risk. She folded her palm over the bulge, squeezing it lightly. Aria took in a sharp breath, followed by a low groan of approval. Her eyes were hooded, and Tevos knew she had done something right. "You know this thing is sensation-transmitting, don't you? I can feel everything. Pressure, warmth…"

That erased the last of Tevos's doubts. Her fingers fumbled a little as she unbuttoned Aria's pants and tugged down the zipper, but she managed somehow. Finally, she reached through the open fly, wrapping her fingers around something warm, long, and firm. Aria let out another groan as she pulled it out, easing it into her palm. Although Aria's pants still covered some of the base, she had a clear view of the rest.

Tevos was not sure what she had expected - she was not completely naive, and she had a general idea of what different species looked like - but the cock Aria had selected was not as strange or unappealing as she had feared. It was simply a smooth shaft, purple to match her skin tone. The top flared out, forming a thick head that tapered off into a blunt point. She had nothing to compare the size with, but it was large enough to give her pause. "How does it work?" she asked, still holding the shaft in her palm. She was not sure whether to be nervous or fascinated.

Aria snorted. "Come on. Don't tell me you don't know how one of these works. I know you've only been with asari, but it's still pretty common knowledge."

"That's not what I meant," Tevos said, a little of her confidence returning. She looked up at Aria and gave an impressive roll of her eyes. "I'm aware of how it works. I just can't see how it's fitting against you. Does it go inside? Is it resting against your clit? How is it transmitting sensation?"

"Yes to both, and there's a small plate that sends electrical pulses."

Tevos glanced back down at the shaft in her hand, trying to make out what Aria was talking about, but it was impossible while the bottom of the cock was still tucked into her pants. "I'm not going to get you to strip yet, am I?"

"Not yet." Aria reached out and brushed her knuckles, urging her to squeeze a little tighter. "But you've got plenty to work with. You did say you were curious, didn't you?"

"A little," she admitted as she drew her hand up along Aria's shaft, stopping just beneath the head. It was warm to the touch, almost indistinguishable from Aria's flesh, and instead of being put off, Tevos appreciated the similarity. "It feels like a part of you," she admitted in a halting voice. She gazed up along Aria's stomach, admiring the shape of her breasts through the open edges of her jacket. Aria had been right before. Even while she was wearing a cock, she was still unmistakably asari.

"It is, but don't worry. My azure isn't going anywhere. I know how much you enjoy servicing me with that pretty mouth of yours." Tevos flushed, deliberately forcing herself to look back down. She did not want Aria to see how effective those words had been. "But your hand will do for now. Keep stroking me."

Slowly, Tevos pulled her hand back down, travelling the full length of Aria's cock until the zipper of her pants dug into the side of her wrist. The shaft pulsed against her fingers, and Tevos had to swallow down a soft noise of desire. She was quickly discovering that she liked touching Aria this way. It made her reactions very visible. She repeated the motion, and this time, the powerful sheets of muscles in Aria's stomach twitched. Another success. She picked up a rhythm, pumping her fist from the base to just beneath the tip with slow, firm strokes.

"Fuck," Aria blurted out. "You're better at this than I thought…"

Tevos risked another glance up, and she was surprised to see that Aria's face was already tight with need. There was a crease in the middle of her forehead, and her eyes were almost completely swallowed up with the black light of the meld. Pleased with the compliment, and the small amount of power she had claimed, Tevos let her other hand drag along Aria's shivering stomach muscles, raking her nails over the firm flesh. "I do know what you like."

"Don't get too smug," Aria said, her voice dropping into a low growl. "Once you get me off, I'm going to fuck you raw."

The threat made Tevos's clit throb against the wet material of her underwear, and she wished she had taken them off. She watched her hand as it moved up and down the length of Aria's shaft, enjoying the way it throbbed in response to her touch. Was it actually swelling? Getting a little bigger? A little firmer? The light caught something, and she noticed a drop of clear, glistening fluid beading at the tip of Aria's cock. She gasped, and her rhythm faltered for a moment. "Is that…?"

Aria smirked once she noticed where she was staring. "That's what the part inside me is for," she said. "You're lucky. You can taste me this way, too."

For just a moment, Tevos imagined pulling the head of Aria's cock between her lips and running her tongue through the sweetness there, but something held her back. She wasn't ready. Still, the thought lingered in the back of her mind, and she was curious to see just how much Aria had for her. She could feel a heavy fullness along the shaft in her hand, could sense how strained it was, and her own inner muscles fluttered as she realized that she was the cause.

She ran the pad of her thumb through the clear fluid, circling over and over until more warmth began dripping from the small dip at the top. It came in pulses, coating her fingers until they shone, and when she dragged them back down along the shaft again, the movement was silkier and smoother. It reminded her of the insistent way Aria's fingers slipped over the firm point of her clit.

"Goddess, more, faster," Aria panted above her, and Tevos was pleased to hear that her words were just the tiniest bit desperate. She almost never got to see Aria like this. Needy, a little overwhelmed, asking her for something instead of the other way around. She savored it, even though she knew that Aria would punish her for it as soon as she came.

"What was that? You'll have to speak up. I can't hear you."

Hearing her own words repeated back to her made Aria's eyes flash with an aroused sort of anger, but she was obviously too close to care. "You're going to pay for this once I finish," she said, but Tevos saw her fingers clutch tighter at the sheets. She felt a swell of pride and arousal, and she couldn't resist one more dig.

"Finish, then," she said. She pumped her hand even faster, swiping her thumb over the slick head every time she reached the top. "I want my punishment."

A loud cry tore from Aria's throat, and her entire body went rigid. Tevos felt the shaft of the cock twitch in her hand, and wetness exploded from the tip, spilling across her fingers. She was startled for a moment, but kept stroking through the pulses, watching with wide eyes as another gush of fluid shot across the quivering muscles of Aria's stomach. Suddenly, she was not alone in her mind, and she felt Aria's need clawing at her, dragging her in. She gasped as her own inner walls began rippling with contractions, matching each spurt of Aria's cock and completely ruining the already-soaked fabric between her legs.

Images flashed through her head, images of what Aria planned to do to her, and this time, Tevos did not bother muting her responses. She embraced Aria's possession and lust as she saw herself being bent over the bed, gripping the sheets and throwing her head back as the blunt tip of Aria's cock stretched her apart. Then she was on her back, legs spread, kissing Aria feverishly as the thick shaft worked in and out of her, filling her with each thrust. Finally, she watched herself sink onto the glistening length from above, taking Aria as deep as she possibly could.

The fantasies were so vivid and intense that she completely forgot she was supposed to finish making Aria come. But their orgasm had already started, and it refused to stop. Aria's cock rippled in her hand, forcing out several more bursts of wetness. They reached as high as her stomach, splashing across the tight muscles there, and Tevos suddenly felt a stab of jealousy. As arousing as the image was, part of her wished she had been able to take some of it in her mouth.

Aria must have caught the thought through the meld, because she jerked her hips up, forcing more of herself into Tevos's hand and letting out everything she had. The last few pulses flooded over her fingers as they tapered off, and Tevos took in a shuddering breath when her inner walls finally stopped fluttering. She was a sticky mess. Trails of warmth ran down both of her legs, and the clinging fabric of her underwear was so wet that it offered a perfect outline of her azure, showing the shape of both lips and the swollen ridge of her clit.

"That was… more impressive than I expected," she said, her voice a little uneven and ragged as she struggled to take in air. She kept her fingers wrapped loosely around the slick shaft of Aria's cock. It was still throbbing with aftershocks, but obviously had nothing left to give.

"I could say the same." Aria glanced down at her stomach, and a few trails of wetness ran over her side and onto the bed. "You've made a mess of me."

Tevos could not resist offering a correction. "You've made a mess of you. I was just following orders."

Aria let out a short bark of laughter. "Cheeky little slut." Tevos blushed. Coming from Aria, the insult was almost an endearment. She didn't mind the language, since she had been the one to request it in the first place. "I'd say that since you were the one that made me come, the mess is yours. I'd make you clean it up, but you'd like that too much."

Tevos swallowed. How was Aria able to pick up on her desires so well, even desires that she had not known she'd possessed before tonight? It made her feel a little vulnerable, but her body was also buzzing with anticipation. Feeling Aria's orgasm had not been enough. She wanted her own. "I think you said something about a punishment?" She slid up along Aria's body, ignoring the wetness between them. Some of it smeared across her stomach, but she could not find it in herself to care. "And something else about fucking me raw?"

Aria's eyes narrowed, and suddenly, Tevos found herself flipped onto her back and pinned beneath her lover's powerful frame. She was so surprised and exhilarated that she barely processed the fact that Aria was pulling down her underwear. They flew through the air and landed somewhere on the other side of the room, and Tevos shuddered as she was exposed. Aria was still wearing her jacket and pants, and the difference in their state of dress only made Tevos hyperaware of her own nakedness.

"It's a damn good thing you didn't get any come on my jacket," Aria murmured beside her crest, "or I'd actually have to punish you instead of just 'punishing' you. But I have a feeling you're about to ruin my pants. Again."

Tevos smiled. "Consider it repayment for all the expensive dresses you've shredded to pieces." Those were the last words she managed to get out before Aria took her lips in a deep, hungry kiss, silencing her before she could get into even more trouble.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

Tevos closed her eyes as Aria kissed her, determined to lose herself in the warm, sweet press of her mouth. Aria's touch made her skin spark with energy. The warmth and shape of her hands drew soft sounds from between their joined lips as they slid over her legs, her hips, her sides. But it wasn't enough. Even though Aria's hands were bare, Tevos was desperate to feel the rest of her skin. She tore their mouths apart just long enough to gasp out a breathless, plaintive, "Please…"

She did not have to explain what she meant. Aria understood instantly. She pulled back just enough to work her arms through the sleeves of her jacket. Tevos mourned the loss a little, since she loved the smell and texture of Aria's favorite piece of clothing, but she felt another surge of warmth between her legs as the leather peeled back, revealing the powerful line of Aria's shoulders. "Goddess, you're beautiful," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

For a moment, she and Aria both froze, simply staring at each other. At last, Aria shook her head and smiled. "Don't say it like it wasn't obvious before."

The tension broke, and the heat between them flared up again. Tevos curled her fingers around the back of Aria's neck, drawing her down again and again for kisses while she tried to push off her pants. Unfortunately, they were tight enough to require her full attention, and she had to pull away to finish removing them. Tevos bit her lip, unhappy that Aria's warmth and comforting weight was gone. She loved having Aria on top of her, and the wet shaft of the cock pressing against her hip had done nothing to change that.

As Aria finished stripping, Tevos barely managed to swallow back the same thing she had said before. Aria was beautiful. Soft skin and sleek muscles, power and grace, captivating beyond words. Tevos had seen her naked before, had admired every inch of her flesh with her eyes, with her hands and tongue, but she had never viewed Aria like this. Something between them had changed, and even though she did not understand what it was, she wanted to open her heart and embrace it. The shift was a bright patch in the darkness of her world, and she clung to it.

"Come here," she said at last, trailing her fingers down the side of Aria's arm and hooking them around the curve of her elbow. "You have promises to keep."

Aria gave her a long look, one that Tevos could not read without the help of the meld. "I guess I did promise to fuck you raw." Although her voice was throaty and full of promise, the usual predatory edge had softened. Tevos wondered if perhaps she was reading too much into Aria's behavior, taking it too seriously, but she forgot her doubts as Aria bent down to kiss her again. This time, the comforting weight on top of her did not leave.

Tevos let out a happy sigh as Aria settled between her legs, but it turned into a gasp as she felt the underside of the shaft press against her azure. She had not been expecting contact so soon, and for less than a second, she wondered if she was ready. But then she looked up and saw Aria's face, Aria's eyes, the familiar curve of Aria's smile, and it reminded her just who was about to take her. Aria had brought her to the height of pleasure countless times, and Tevos trusted her. Perhaps not in every facet of her life, but at least in bed.

Before Aria could reach a hand between them, Tevos did it herself, sliding her fingers down her own stomach to wrap around the warm shaft between her legs. Aria braced herself on her elbows, lifting just enough to let her arm fit. Tevos felt a slight hitch of breath beside her cheek as she stroked the length of Aria's cock, and she smiled with pride and anticipation. Aria's reactions to her touch were even stronger than usual. They would definitely have to try this again, perhaps even on a regular basis.

"Stop being a tease," Aria whispered between kisses to the underside of her jaw. "I want to be inside of you."

Even though they were not Aria's usual possessive words, they made Tevos shiver. She wanted Aria inside of her. She wanted Aria to fill her, stretch her, take her in a completely new way. She shifted her hips, unable to resist rubbing her clit against the blunt tip of Aria's cock a few times before she let it settle at her entrance. Once it was in the right place, she pulled her hand away and hooked one of her knees around Aria's hip. "I want you to be inside me."

Tevos expected Aria to push inside of her as soon as she gave permission, to take the pleasure being offered. Instead, she paused first, gazing down at her with another one of those deep looks that she could not interpret. Her eyes were already dark, and the muscles of her forehead were pulled tight. Aria wanted her, wanted her badly, but she was holding back, and not just to tease her. "Thea…" It seemed as if there was more Aria wanted to say, but she could not find the words. Instead, she gave the side of her thigh a reassuring stroke before pressing forward with her hips.

The stretch took her breath away at first. It was more than she had ever taken before, thicker than Aria's fingers. When the widest part of the flared head pushed against her, trying to slip inside of her, Tevos tensed up, unable to relax her inner muscles. But Aria's lips grazed her chin, her cheek, the corner of her mouth, before they finally landed on hers. As soon as they kissed, Tevos's body melted, and the head slid forward. She tried to keep kissing Aria, to respond to the teasing pull of her lips, but each inch of the cock that slipped into her was a distraction. It was splitting her open, stretching her, and the sensation of fullness was blissful.

After a few slow thrusts, their pelvises finally met. Tevos shuddered and gripped one of Aria's shoulders. Aria was inside of her. All the way inside of her. Their bodies were pressed close, sharing as much warmth and skin as possible. Tevos looked up at Aria, waiting for her to say something, but for once, the usual stream of forbidden words was absent. She simply began moving, slowly at first, pulling her hips back at a torturously slow pace.

Tevos only let her get about half way out before she pulled her back with her knee, gasping as the full length of Aria's cock pushed back into her. It was different than Aria's fingers - more stretch and force, much less dexterity - but undeniably pleasurable. As Aria's hands lowered to her hips and held them in place, she pushed her hips up, trying to take even more. She was ready for this, and she didn't want Aria to hold back.

To her surprise, Aria melded with her almost immediately. Tevos opened her mind and lowered her barriers, accepting the union, and her eyes widened as she realized that Aria didn't need to come. She simply wanted to feel. To share. The fact that Aria wanted the meld instead of simply using it to come only confused Tevos more, but it also made her happy. Someone wanted to know her, to connect with her.

Aria shifted a little above her, putting space between their bodies. _'Look,'_ she thought, directing Tevos's eyes down.

The sight was nearly enough to push her over the edge without any movement at all. Their bodies were completely joined. The outer lips of her azure were petaled open, stretched tight around the thick shaft of Aria's cock. Her clit stood out from its hood, swollen and purple with need. Both of them were covered with shimmering wetness. Tevos could not tear her gaze away. She had not expected it to look so beautiful. She couldn't deny it now. She was not simply indulging Aria's whims. She wanted this just as much.

Then, Aria finally started moving.

The first thrust tore a cry from Tevos's throat. It filled her, stretched her until she couldn't breathe. She tightened her knee around Aria's hip, unsure whether she wanted to keep her inside forever or urge her to move faster. But Aria had already picked up a rhythm, pumping into her, slamming against the sensitive spot along her front wall. All she could do was cling to Aria's powerful arms and surrender.

_'Goddess, so warm. Tight. Fuck.'_ Aria's words were back, even if they were only in her head, and Tevos welcomed them. They made the sensitive ridge of her clit twitch. She wanted all of Aria, even the parts that were a little rough around the edges. Especially the parts that were a little rough around the edges.

_'More. Please. Take me...'_

And Aria did take her. Again and again. Tevos slid the sole of her foot down along Aria's calf and spread her thighs wider, offering herself up as much as she could. They began moving together, falling into a fluid, shared rhythm. Each thrust, each pulse, each throb of need and desire pushed them closer to the edge and deeper into each other. Warm, fleeting feelings swelled within her, and she was not sure if they were coming from Aria or if they were simply her own emotions being reflected back at her. But then, something much more familiar took hold. Desire coiled around them, and the awareness of their bodies, both of their bodies, grew almost painfully sharp.

Tevos felt everything at once, her own sensations and Aria's mixed together. They bled over into each other until she couldn't sort them out. Clinging silk. Pressure. Heat. When she reached deeper, she could even feel the steady, throbbing ache along Aria's shaft as her muscles gripped down. For a moment, she was so lost in Aria that she thought she could feel her lover's heartbeat pounding inside of her own chest.

They came undone together. Aria's lips caught hers, and she slammed her hips forward one last time, pushing as deep as she could. Tevos squeezed down until Aria couldn't move, desperate to keep her there. A rush of warmth spilled into her, and she dug her nails into Aria's shoulders as she felt the thick shaft inside of her ripple and pulse. Her inner walls fluttered, and each sweet, sharp contraction pulled another spurt of wetness from Aria's cock. Aria's release filled her until she couldn't hold anymore, and she met it with a flood of her own. Liquid heat ran between them, over their thighs and onto the bed. They shared each ragged pulse and nearly forgot to breathe, swallowing each other's cries.

Finally, Aria went still above her, and Tevos felt the meld taper off. It had been overwhelming before, but now, it the connection between them was simply comfortable and familiar. Tevos wasn't sure when she had begun to think of Aria's mind as a familiar place, but it certainly was now. She clung to Aria, unwilling to let her go, and she was saddened when the thread between them unraveled. She knew that melds could not last forever, but for the first time in her life, she wished they could.

"That was…" she murmured, slurring the words a little. It was difficult to move her lips, especially after so much kissing. They were a little swollen.

"Incredible? Yeah. You're welcome."

Tevos rolled her eyes. Even though something was changing between them, Aria was still the same sarcastic, arrogant person she had always been. And Tevos was quickly realizing that she appreciated those traits, however annoying they were. Aria wouldn't be Aria without them.

"I think we should do that again," she said, unhooking her knee from around Aria's waist and lowering her leg back onto the bed. She was pleased when Aria made no move to pull out of her.

"So, you've gotten over your hang-ups about dicks?"

Tevos smiled and kissed one of Aria's warm cheeks. "Only when they're attached to you. But I wouldn't mind doing this again."

"Again now, or again at some unspecified time in the future?"

Tevos squeezed her inner muscles, tightening them deliberately around the still-sensitive shaft of Aria's cock. She felt a surge of pride when Aria groaned and nuzzled into her shoulder, pushing her hips forward a little. "I was thinking now. This wasn't the only position you showed me, you know. But first, we might want to take a quick shower break." She glanced down even though she couldn't see anything with Aria's body on top of hers. "We're even more of a mess than before."

Aria lifted her head and gave her . "I think the shower can wait. I'm not finished with you."

Tevos pretended to think about it. "Well…" Aria gave a more insistent push of her hips, causing the base of the cock to grind against her clit, and she let out a soft whimper. "I guess there isn't any point in cleaning up yet."

. . .

**AN: **Some of you know about this already, but I have recently been the victim of some nasty comments on both facebook and the Mass Effect Kink Meme. They weren't critiquing my work, but were personally insulting and attacking me. I just wanted to reassure you all that I'm fine, and I will no longer be responding to any insulting comments on facebook, tumblr, the Meme, or anywhere else. It ends after this message. I would like to ask you all to do the same and allow either me (if it's facebook) or Ariamod (if it's the kink meme) to moderate them. Want to know how you can shut those idiots up? On March 1st and April 1st, go to amazon or smashwords or the Desert Palm Press website and buy the hell out of my books. Every time someone says something horrible, like claiming I'm an abuse victim or a plagiarist or that I'm 'encouraging rape', I'm going to look at those numbers and smile, because they're dead wrong. People like my stuff, and my fans are amazing. Just 9 more days until Dark Horizons, and a month to The Second Sister! Oh, and if you want to like me on facebook or follow me on tumblr, that would be awesome, too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

"Wake up!"

Tevos groaned as she pulled her face away from her pillow. It still held some of Aria's scent, and she was reluctant to give it up. "Just a few more minutes," she murmured, not bothering to open her eyes. Her voice broke on the word 'minute', and she pressed her lips together to stifle a yawn. They still felt swollen from Aria's kisses, and her muscles were deliciously sore. "You wore me out earlier."

"Madame Councilor, please, you have to wake up!"

That got Tevos's attention. She and Aria had shared a few interesting role play sessions in the past, but Aria had never called her 'Madame Councilor' before. Besides, there was no warm body pressed against her, no wandering hands, no good-morning kiss. She opened her eyes, and the blurry blue smear in front of her gathered into a recognizable face. It was Neota, her assistant, and her eyes were wide and bright with panic. "Neota? What are you doing here? Where is Aria? How did you get into her apartment?"

"I got C-Sec to break in," she said in a rush. "Please, we have to go! The Reapers are…"

Tevos did not wait for Neota to finish her sentence. She climbed out from under the covers, ignoring her own nakedness as she scrambled for her clothes. None of Aria's were left, but thankfully, her dress was still serviceable. She pulled it over her head, and without being asked, Neota hurried to zip up the back with trembling fingers. "How close are their ships?"

"Already here. No one knew until it was too late…"

"How much of the Citadel is still functional?"

"Most of the lower levels haven't been damaged yet. The first attack on the station only came four minutes ago."

Tevos turned around and looked at her assistant with some surprise. "You managed to find me in four minutes?" she asked as she slid her feet into her shoes.

Neota rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, ten, but-"

"Never mind." Tevos grabbed her Omnitool, which was flashing with countless unread messages, and slid it onto her wrist. Then, she headed for the door. "Is the docking bay still operational?"

"For now. The Destiny Ascension is waiting for us. They can't leave until all three of you are on board."

"Then we had better hurry." She fell into a run, wishing she had chosen to wear pants or a loose skirt yesterday instead of a form-fitting dress. It pulled at her hips and restricted her movement, but she managed to make it down the hall and through the living room in a matter of seconds. Neota kept pace with her until she stopped short at the front door. A C-Sec agent in full armor was waiting for her, his assault rifle clutched against his chest.

"I guess you were right," he said to Neota. "She was here. Whose apartment is this, anyway?"

Tevos hurried to cut off that line of questioning. She supposed it did not matter if anyone found out about her affair with Aria while the Citadel was under attack, but she was still instinctively cautious. "It doesn't matter. We need to leave immediately. Do you have a car?"

The agent nodded. "Right outside. The elevator is still..."

A loud rumble drowned out his voice, and the building shook around them. Tevos clutched at the doorframe to steady herself, wincing as she heard several crashes behind her. In a few more minutes, Aria's apartment probably wouldn't be standing. "We'll take the stairs," she said when the walls and floor stopped shuddering.

They hurried out of the apartment in silence, but several startled voices drifted toward them once they entered the stairwell. Panicked shouts overlapped and ran into each other.

"What's happening? I can't-"

"Where are you? The building is…"

"...have to get out of here, now!"

Tevos deliberately shut the voices out. There was nothing she could do. She needed to board the Destiny Ascension and contact Admiral Hackett as soon as possible. Losing Thessia was terrible enough, but losing the Citadel was unthinkable. It was the center of the galaxy, the hub of all their resources. It was also her second home, and the thought of losing the place she had lived for the past several centuries was too painful to contemplate.

Finally, she reached the bottom of the emergency stairwell and burst out into the artificial daylight of the Presidium. Tevos thought she had been prepared, but what she saw made her freeze in mid-stride.

The lake was on fire.

All of the trees, all of the grass, all of the flowers were burning. Columns of smoke trailed into the air, and there were gaping, uneven holes in the false sky. Every few seconds, another loud boom shook everything around them, and blackened pieces of metal and glass fell from the ceiling. Tevos turned to look at the building behind her, and she saw more flames tearing through the top floors. They had escaped just in time. "Goddess," she whispered, fighting back tears. "Not again…"

It was Sovereign's attack all over again. The screaming, the fire, the loud wail of the warning sirens. But this time, there was more than just one Reaper. It was worse than the nightmares she had suffered two years ago. It was the end of everything. Tevos felt her stomach drop. The Citadel was lost. No one could save it now, not even Admiral Hackett with all of the resources they had given him.

Neota's voice broke her out of her trance. "Please, we have to keep going!"

Tevos felt the C-Sec agent tug at her arm, forcing her into another run, and she followed instinctively. Her eyes stayed fixed on the ground just ahead of her, but she could not forget what she had seen. Fire burned behind her eyes.

She remained in a state of numb shock as Neota shoved her into the back of the squad car, sliding in behind her and closing the door. Not that it would do much good. If the ceiling fell in on them or the fire spread, a door would not protect them. And once the Reaper troops started arriving…

As if she had summoned it with her thoughts, a large, black talon slashed at the window of the patrol car. The glass splintered, and Tevos screamed. "Drive!" she shouted at the C-Sec agent in the front seat, moving as far away from the window as she could. Her instincts took over, and she gathered her biotics around her fist. The creature outside swiped at the door again, denting the metal inward.

The C-Sec agent hesitated. He was staring out through the window, watching more shadows move toward them through the smoke. "What are those things? They're… they're turian? But-"

It was the last thing he said. Another set of talons smashed through the window, sending glass shattering everywhere. They pierced his throat, and blood spattered against the windshield as he twitched in his seat, eyes still wide with shock. Tevos reacted in seconds. The pulsing energy in her hands released, rippling toward the door in a shockwave. The skycar shuddered, and the thing at the window pulled back, shrieking with rage.

When the talons did not reappear, Tevos risked checking on him. It only took one glance to confirm that he was dead. "We've got to move him," she said to Neota. "Somebody needs to drive."

"Goddess," Neota said, undoing her safety belt and climbing over into the front seat, "I heard the reports, but I didn't know…" Her voice wavered a little, but otherwise, she seemed unexpectedly calm.

Tevos took a deep breath. Her heart was hammering somewhere in her throat. She looked out of the window, peering through the smoke and watching for any sign of movement. It was better than the alternative - watching Neota move the C-Sec agent's corpse into the passenger's seat. "We have to get out of here. The indoctrinated turians are usually in the first waves. You don't want to know what's following them."

Neota slammed her hand against the propulsion button, trying to coax the Skycar into the air. The frame shuddered, and the engine revved as it tried to start, but it remained still. "Our people?"

"Yes. They…"

A monstrous shriek came from somewhere outside the window, and Tevos flinched, nearly sending a warp through the door. She was no combat specialist, and had only the most basic self-defense training, but she knew what that sound was. It was surely the same otherworldly scream that countless asari on Thessia had heard in their last moments before…

Aria. What if Aria was still somewhere out there? What if…?

The Skycar lurched into motion, taking off in spurts and starts and weaving drunkenly through the air. Finally, Neota managed to get it under some semblance of control, and they sped off through the air. Other cars around them were abandoned, and a few were even on fire. One passed right in front of their field of vision, spiraling towards the ground and forcing Neota to swerve abruptly to the left.

As they descended into the wards, the warning sirens grew louder, and there were several signs of life. More functional Skycars appeared, and Tevos could see people moving below through the window, running in unorganized clumps. She did not want to watch them, did not want to think about how many of them would die, but she could not tear her eyes away. This disaster was partially her fault. The least she could do from up in the air was acknowledge their existence.

"Do you think the Destiny Ascension is still there?" Neota asked from the front seat.

Tevos did not know how to answer her. It was possible. Matriarch Lidanya was not supposed to give the order to leave until all members of the Council were onboard the Ascension, but none of them had anticipated that the Citadel would be destroyed. Even Saren had only managed to damage a few of the upper levels. This… this destruction was on a scale that none of them had imagined.

"I suppose we're about to find out," Tevos said as they arrived at the docking bay. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the familiar silhouette of the Ascension. The ship was still there. Lidanya had not left yet. There was a large crowd of people down below, packed together so tight they could barely move, but somehow, they managed to make room for the descending shuttle. Shouts greeted them as they opened the door, and hundreds of eyes peered at her.

"It's the Councilor! She…"

"Councilor, save us! They won't let us board the-"

Tevos's stomach sank. She knew just by looking at the size of the crowd that not everyone would be able to fit on the Ascension. It was one of the largest ships in the Citadel fleet, but it was a warship, not a passenger vessel. Before she could say anything, and before the crowd could surge forward and overwhelm her, a full squad of C-Sec agents shoved themselves through. Without a word, one of them took her arm and dragged her forward. The others fell into step beside her, and Tevos only just managed to make sure Neota was being taken along with them before they were whisked up the walkway and onto the ship.

She was not entirely surprised to see Lidanya waiting for them just inside. She was as tall and imposing as ever, and Tevos instinctively tried to stand a little taller as well. "Good," Lidanya said as the doors closed. "You finally got here. All signals from your section of the Presidium went dark seven minutes ago. We weren't sure you made it out."

Tevos was a little put off by Lidanya's coldness at first, but she understood that it was probably a coping mechanism. As long as Lidanya could still command the Ascension, it didn't matter how rude she was. "Are the others here? Sparatus? Valern?" Aria's name hovered on her lips, and it was only the last shreds of her control that prevented her from blurting it out before anyone else's.

"Both of them arrived ten minutes ago. We can start the departure procedures and be out of here in another minute. I'm confident the Ascension can handle any Reaper ships that get between us and the Relay. Then, we'll head for the rendezvous point."

"And where, exactly, is the rendezvous point?"

"Does it matter?" Lidanya snapped. "Somewhere the hell away from here. Now, if you'll excuse me, Councilor, I have to give the orders so we can get out of here."

Tevos shook her head. "No. That isn't good enough. Tell the navigator to set course for Earth."

"Earth? Are you crazy?" Lidanya's eyes widened with shock. "They're almost as bad off as Thessia! It's a Reaper hotspot. You can't order me to take the Ascension there…"

Lidanya looked like she was about to keep protesting, but Tevos cut her off. This was her chance. Her chance to do something right, to make up for her mistakes. "Don't make me call Asari High Command, Lidanya. You know they'll side with me." It was something of a bluff, but Tevos prayed it would work. "Earth needs every resource it can get, including the Ascension. If the Sol system falls, the rest of the Galaxy falls with it." She stared into Lidanya's eyes with unwavering resolve, letting her words hang between them.

Finally, Lidanya sighed and looked away. "Very well. I'll tell the navigator to re-set the coordinates for Earth. We've updated the shielding and firepower since Saren's attack, so at least the Ascension will be able to do some damage once we get there." She made to turn away, but Tevos raised a hand to stop her.

"Not yet. How long can we safely remain here before leaving through the Relay is no longer possible?"

"Maybe another ten minutes or so. Why?"

Tevos gestured over her shoulder. "Open the doors for the next nine. Let as many people as you can onboard. Soldiers, civilians, everyone the ship can hold."

"Damn it, you really are crazy," Lidanya muttered, but Tevos noticed a small smile threatening to pull at the corners of her mouth. "Part of me was hoping you would say that. Only you could order me to ship a bunch of civilians to a war-zone like Earth and make it sound like a good idea."

Tevos smiled. "Technically, I can't order you to do anything. I can only make really strong suggestions."

"Well, that's one suggestion I don't mind taking." Lidanya activated her Omnitool and stared down into it. "Kressida? Change of plans. Set new coordinates for the Sol System. We're going to Earth." Once she received an affirmative response, Lidanya strode over to the metal doors and punched in a series of commands. They opened with a hiss, and she called down to the C-Sec agents standing guard at the base of the walkway. "Start lining up as many people up as you can. We're boarding for the next nine minutes."

Tevos moved back from the doors, turning a nearby corner to give the crowd below room to board. To her surprise, she ran into Neota. Her assistant looked none the worse for wear after their escape, although she was still a little shaken. "I heard what you said to Lidanya. I've never heard anyone talk to her like that before."

"Lidanya and I have known each other a long time. We don't particularly like each other, but we have a mutual respect." Tevos gave Neota a thoughtful look. "I'm sorry about earlier. Tracking me to strange apartments in the middle of the night and moving dead bodies aren't exactly part of your job description."

"You'd be surprised," Neota muttered.

Tevos ignored her. "How did you manage to find me so quickly, anyway?"

"I, well… hacked your Omnitool," she admitted, a little sheepishly. "I have a few more skills than the ones I put on my resume."

Tevos stared at Neota in surprise. Then, she shook her head and blinked a few times. "I think, considering the circumstances, I'm not going to ask how or why you hacked my Omnitool. I'm just grateful you managed to find me." A shudder ran down the middle of her back. She did not want to think about what would have happened to her if Neota hadn't been there. With Aria gone, she would have…

Goddess, Aria. She had been so focused on dealing with Lidanya that she had forgotten about Aria. The person she most wanted to save. It was a disconcerting thought. She had no idea when Aria had become something more than just sexual release, had become so important to her, but she could not wish away the grief that pierced her chest.

So much had happened over the past few days. So much had changed. She had changed. Something in Aria's behavior had touched her, and the thought that she might still be back in the upper levels of the Citadel left Tevos cold. It was too painful to contemplate for more than a few moments at a time, almost like the fact that Thessia was gone.

Suddenly, it hurt to breathe. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to continue breathing. All of the grief, all of the fear, all of the feelings she had forced down during her escape came flooding back, and experiencing them all at once was nearly too much. Tears pricked at her eyes, and she turned away, unable to keep eye contact with Neota. Swallowing did nothing to ease the hard lump in her throat.

"Goddess, please let her be all right…"

Neota reached out to touch the side of her arm. Tevos looked at her, barely noticing the people filing past them. She saw sympathy in Neota's eyes, and she was not sure whether to be relieved or nervous that her assistant knew exactly who she was talking about even though she hadn't said Aria's name. "She will be. If anyone can get out alive, it's her."

Tevos did not believe in the Goddess, and although she followed the teachings of siari, she did not consider herself a particularly religious person. But in this moment, she felt like praying. Praying to any deity or force in the universe that would listen. The words she had spoken moments before ran through her head again and again, falling into a predictable rhythm. She had to believe in them, because doing otherwise was unthinkable. _'Goddess, please let her be all right...'_

_. . ._

**AN:** Dark Horizons releases this Saturday! =D That's when I'll next be updating The Only Thing, Love Alters Not, and posting my new FemShep/Liara project. And once The Only Thing is finished (it should take about 3 more chapters), Neota will be getting another spin-off. I *think* I can balance three fanfics at once if I update each of them once a week, but we'll see.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Dark Horizons is here a day**_** early!** =D If you enjoy it, please don't forget to leave a review! Those are always _really _helpful. The links are below, but clickable ones are on my profile, and you can also get to the books from my website (in a few minutes, anyway). There are going to be print copies available soon as well, although they will be more expensive, since they're created as-ordered. Much thanks to Octoplods for the lovely coverart.

www dot amazon dot com/Dark-Horizons-Rae-D-Magdon-ebook/dp/B00IP1EQIS/

www dot smashwords dot com/books/view/413096

. . .

**Chapter Eight:**

The next several hours were a frantic blur. Refugees poured onto the ship, and although Tevos wanted to stay and see if Aria was among them, it proved to be too dangerous. She thought she saw a familiar flash of purple moving somewhere in the crowd, but a large group of civilians closed in on her before she could get a better look, demanding explanations and nearly shoving her into a wall. Only C-Sec's assault rifles managed to dissuade them, and by the time they forced the crowd back, the figure was gone.

Tevos quickly realized that her presence was causing trouble instead of helping, and she sequestered herself in one of the officer's cabins. The extra privacy made her feel a little guilty, especially since she knew the refugees fleeing the Citadel would probably be forced to bunk in the cargo hold, but it was a relief to her anyway.

Sparatus and Valern joined her there, and both of them seemed pleased when she told them that she had ordered Lidanya to set course for Earth. While Valern only saw the logical necessity of the decision, Sparatus gave her an approving smile for a different reason. He wanted to be where the fighting was. Even though he was no longer an active member of Palaven's military, he was still a turian. He seemed relieved that they were finally going somewhere with boots on the ground. She sympathized. If she was going to die, she wanted to die in the same place as the commandos she had given to Admiral Hackett.

The two of them left as soon as the Ascension took off, leaving Tevos alone to explain her actions to the tattered remains of the matriarchy. After debating with herself for a few minutes, she sent a public message on one of the last remaining channels. Thessia was still dark, and she had no way of knowing who was dead and who was still alive. She knew she would have to answer for her actions later, but she didn't care. Unless Shepard managed to retrieve the catalyst and defeat the Reapers, her position would be permanently vacant.

Once the message was sent, she sat down on the edge of the small cot and stared at the far side of the room. The ship shuddered around her, and Tevos recognized the familiar pull of the relay. Apparently, Lidanya's estimate had been right. She flashed back to the crowd of people waiting outside and wondered how many of them had managed to make it onto the ship. So many faces, so many bodies pressing in, trying to escape… Had Aria been among them?

Tevos stripped off her Omnitool and set it on the small table beside the bed. She did not want any more updates from Thessia or the Citadel. There was nothing else she could do.

She lost track of time as she stared at the smooth grey ceiling, trying to piece all of her thoughts together. Thessia. The Citadel. Earth. Aria. When she thought about the millions of people the Reapers had slaughtered, they wore her face. She didn't even know whether Aria was alive or dead. Perhaps she had made it onto the Ascension. She certainly had the skills and resources to bargain or force her way onboard. But if she hadn't…

Tevos turned onto her stomach and buried her face in the pillow, but she was too numb to cry. She had no tears left. There was only a gaping, empty space in her chest. She knew her heart was still there, she could hear it beating as she breathed in and out through the pillowcase, but it hurt so much that she couldn't be sure.

This had to be a cruel joke. Punishment for her mistakes. For all the people that had died because of her decisions. Now that Aria was gone, she knew exactly why her feelings had changed and what they meant. Of course she had fallen in love with someone who was all wrong for her. Someone who didn't love her back. Someone who might not even be alive anymore.

Tevos threw the pillow aside. She wanted the one that she had been using earlier this morning. The one that smelled like Aria. She didn't want to be here, trapped in this tiny cabin while the Reapers were tearing the Citadel apart. Maybe tearing Aria apart. She felt useless, impotent. She had done everything she could, but it wasn't enough. She wanted to go downstairs, to search through the hundreds of refugees onboard until she found Aria, but she knew that was impossible. A few of them had been ready to tear her apart before. She doubted their reception would be any more welcoming now.

The cabin door hissed open, and Tevos pulled her face away from the pillow, forcing herself back into a sitting position. She wasn't in the mood for company, but she didn't have much of a choice. When she glanced toward the door, she was relieved to see Neota instead of the other Councilors or Lidanya. Her assistant was a welcome sight, especially after what they had been through together that morning. Neota's lips were pulled in a frown, and there was a concerned crease in the middle of her forehead. "Madame Councilor? Are you all right?"

Tevos debated standing up, but remained seated on the edge of the mattress instead. After what their escape from the Citadel, she did not feel the need to be formal with her assistant any longer. "I'm functional, if that's what you mean. I don't think any of us are all right after what happened to the Citadel."

Neota's face fell, and she nodded her head. "You probably already know, but all communications went dark a few minutes after we left. Matriarch Lidanya told me."

Tevos glanced at the screen of her Omnitool without bothering to pick it up and read the time. Had it really been almost five hours since they left the Citadel behind? She had spent the first two making frantic arrangements with the other Councilors and trying to hold herself together, but she must have been lost in her own grief for at least the past three. She was surprised that no one else had disturbed her before Neota's arrival. "Thank you, Neota," she murmured, leaning back to rest some of her weight on her arms. "Not just for informing me, but also for saving my life. I don't know how to repay you."

Neota's smile returned. "I've done more than that, Councilor. I brought you something that you forgot on the Citadel." Tevos's eyes widened as she stepped aside, standing away from the door to reveal another figure. A tall figure in a very familiar leather jacket.

_Aria._

The name was out of her mouth before she could swallow it down. "Aria!" She leapt off of the bed and rushed forward, flying into Aria's arms just seconds after she managed to open them. She flung her hands around Aria's neck and buried her face in the warm crook of her shoulder, trying to lose herself in the dark, familiar space. She didn't care how her actions looked to Neota. She didn't care if her display of affection made Aria uncomfortable. Aria was here in her room, alive and breathing, and that was all that mattered.

Aria didn't say a word, but Tevos felt her arms tighten in a fierce embrace. She barely registered Neota's swift exit as Aria lips crashed against hers. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Her fingers fisted the collar of Aria's jacket so hard that her hands shook with the pressure. Both of them had come close to dying, and Aria was kissing her like the world was about to end. Maybe it was ending. If she died, she wanted to die like this, with kisses that stopped her heart and sent tears spilling down her cheeks.

Their mouths didn't break apart as Aria walked her backwards through the room. She could only gasp against Aria's lips as her knees hit the side of the mattress. Aria pushed her down, forcing her to lie the wrong way across the bed. Her head nearly hung off the other side, but she didn't care. She wanted Aria closer. She wanted to remind herself that Aria was alive with her hands, with her lips, with every shared breath.

Tevos ran her hands up along Aria's back, pulling her as close as possible. She smelled like warmth and sex, and the familiar scent was enough to make her head spin. She kissed Aria back as hard as she could between frantic gasps of air, biting down on the stripe that split her lower lip and digging her nails into her shoulderblades. She was already buzzing, nearly overflowing with the need to meld, and she was grateful that both of them were still dressed. Skin contact would have been enough to snap her restraint.

Before she could even make sense of what was happening and bring herself under control, Aria rucked the hem of her dress up past her thighs and slid a gloved hand directly between her legs. She didn't test or tease before pushing inside with two fingers, burying them as deep as they would go. The sudden penetration stole the last of the air from Tevos's lungs, but she welcomed the brief pain. She needed Aria inside of her, and she didn't care if it hurt. Her hips pushed down instinctively, urging Aria to find some kind of rhythm, to move within her.

Aria wasn't gentle, and Tevos didn't want her to be. Each thrust drove all the way inside of her, and each curl put so much pressure against her front wall that it was nearly unbearable. She threw one of her knees around Aria's waist and offered more of herself, still clutching tight at the collar of her jacket. Part of her hoped that Aria would say something, weave a string of possessive words or at least say her name, but she remained completely silent except for her ragged breaths. She was on autopilot, simply taking what she needed. What they both needed.

When Aria's thumb found her clit, shoving back the hood and grinding over the tip in harsh circles, Tevos couldn't stand it anymore. She wanted her own thoughts to shut down, too. She wanted whatever primal, mind-numbing bliss Aria was experiencing. She wanted to lose herself in the physical and forget everything but Aria. She tore her hand away from the collar of Aria's jacket and broke their lips apart. Aria tried to take them again with a low growl, but she shoved her hand between them first, peeling off one of her gloves with her teeth. Then, she clasped her bare palm over the folds at the back of Aria's neck

It wasn't much skin contact, but it was enough. Tevos fell into Aria's mind, into an ocean-swell of pain and chaos that she had not expected. She had thought Aria was simply driven by desire, but she had been mistaken. Grief and fear crashed over her, almost a perfect copy of her own. Images and thoughts curled around her, dragging her deeper into the meld.

_Red. An explosion of red everywhere as she fell to her knees, choking in the burnt smell of metal and flesh. Then, the unearthly shriek. It was one of those… things… that had once been asari. It filled her head until she wanted to explode out of her own skin. So she ran… Ran back to her apartment, only to find fire eating away at the higher levels, reducing everything to smoke and ash..._

_Strain along her back, tugging at her shoulder-muscles as she lifted Lidanya higher against the wall and fucked into her. The tendons in her arm burned just like they were burning now. She wondered why she was doing this. Maybe just because she could. Maybe because she hoped Lidanya would be able to tell her where Tevos was… Goddess, Tevos…_

_'I need two of your sunshine breakfast wraps, and...' Something in the display counter caught her eye. 'And that pastry.' She smiled. She knew Tevos had something of a sweet tooth. And after last night-_

Tevos could not bear to watch any longer. It was too much to take in all at once. Instead, she pushed deeper, past the place where words and images existed, and latched on to the deepest part of Aria she could reach. And there, tucked just behind the fear and confusion and desperate anger, she found something so beautiful that it made everything else stop. It was new, very fragile and very unsure, too delicate for her to put a name to it without frightening it away. But it was there. And this time, she knew it was not just her own feelings being reflected back at her.

All of her senses came flooding back, and her entire body shuddered as she pulled Aria down for one last kiss. She tasted Aria's shout as she shared all of her pleasure, letting it pour out of her and through the threads that bound them. And they were a 'them'. An 'us'. For one moment, they were the only thing that mattered in the universe.

Tevos came in a wave of wetness and heat, letting Aria coax pulse after pulse of pleasure from deep inside of her. She pulled Aria's fingers a little deeper, gripped them a little tighter with each contraction until she was a shivering mess. She gave as much as she could through the meld, and a surge of desire reflected back at her as Aria shared in her orgasm, pushing down against one of her hips to find more pressure. Every thrust made her spill over into Aria's palm, and the shaft of her clit twitched against Aria's thumb. Her last coherent thought before the pleasure took over completely was that, this time, she wished Aria wasn't wearing her gloves. She wanted Aria to feel everything.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: **One more chapter to go here! Then, I'll start the new story with Neota sometime next week. And if you haven't bought Dark Horizons yet, what are you waiting for? =D The only acceptable answers are "payday" and "the paperback copy because the cover is gorgeous."

www dot amazon dot com/Dark-Horizons-ebook/dp/B00IP1EQIS/

www dot smashwords dot com/books/view/413096

. . .

**Chapter Nine:**

Eventually, Tevos felt Aria's heartbeat separate from hers. Their breathing settled into different patterns, and she relaxed the tight grip of her fingers on the back of Aria's neck. She still did not understand what had come over her, what had come over them. The past two days felt like a dream and a nightmare wrapped together, and she was still reeling from the vivid images she had seen in Aria's mind.

The last traces of the meld flickered down to nothing, and Tevos let out a soft sigh of loss as Aria pulled out of her. She stared at the ceiling for several long minutes, waiting for Aria to say something. Anything. Fear crept into her heart, fear that the flicker of warmth and affection she had felt at the very core of Aria's being had only been her own wishful thinking again. But she had been so certain…

Aria flipped over onto her back, tucking her hands behind her head and letting her boots hang off the edge of the mattress. "I was trying to buy you breakfast," she said at last. Tevos tilted her head to look at her as she spoke. Somehow, Aria was even more attractive with her clothes pulled out of place and streaks of ash running down the closest sleeve of her jacket. "I thought you'd be hungry when you woke up. By the time I got back…"

She did not need to say any more. Tevos remembered what she had seen in Aria's mind. She tried to will away the picture of the burning building, but the echo of the warning sirens still throbbed in her head. Instead, she forced herself to recall the other memory: Aria standing at the counter of Apollo's cafe, admiring the barista in her usual nonchalant way as she placed her order. No - orders. That pastry had clearly been for her.

A hard lump rose in Tevos's throat, and her eyes stung as she tried to swallow it down. Aria was not usually a considerate person. Her needs always came first. Tevos had never minded, since Aria's desires usually met needs of her own, but the thought of Aria buying her breakfast broke some part of the unspoken contract between them, their silent agreement to use each other for sex and nothing more. Even the comfort that Aria had offered her after the destruction of Thessia was uncharacteristic.

For just a moment, she lost herself in an impossible fantasy. She pictured a home on Thessia, one with a garden. She imagined Aria holding her from behind, tracing the woven bracelet that circled her wrist. She dreamt of joyful laughter, the sound of running footsteps, a small body rushing into her arms. She wanted it so badly that her chest ached, but she knew that none of the things she wanted could ever come to pass. Thessia was in ruins, and Aria would never allow herself to be tied down to anyone. Tevos wished that she had never realized she was in love. Perhaps it would have been easier not to know.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, trying to clear her head. She could not read too much into Aria's behavior. A few kind gestures did not mean that Aria was developing feelings for her, and even if she was, feelings were not enough to sustain a relationship. She and Aria had different lives and different priorities. Aria was still the Queen of Omega, the ruler of the largest criminal empire in the galaxy. She was still the asari councilor. With everything falling to pieces around them, it was easy to pretend that the future did not matter, but it was just an illusion. If they weren't all harvested by the Reapers, the same obstacles that had stood in their way before would remain.

When she felt Aria shift on the cot beside her, Tevos turned back to look over her shoulder. She suddenly remembered that Aria was waiting for some kind of response. "Breakfast in bed was a nice thought," she murmured. "I'm… sorry that things didn't work out."

"You're not the one who blew up the entire fucking Presidium." Aria sat up and moved a little closer to her. "I always hated the Citadel, but now that it's gone… part of me almost misses it." She narrowed her eyes. "Tell anyone, and I'll make sure you can't sit down for a month."

Tevos's lips pulled into a weak smile. Even though her feelings had changed, at least Aria was still the same. "It would be worth it." Another of Aria's memories rose to the front of her mind, and her smile disappeared as she watched Lidanya writhe against the hard metal wall of the ship. She lowered her gaze into her lap and twisted both of her hands together, smoothing her dress back over her thighs. "Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so."

She regretted the words as soon as she said them. Aria had given her no commitments, had made no promises to be faithful. It was unfair to judge her by different standards now simply because her own feelings had grown stronger. She forced herself to look up and meet Aria's eyes, and was surprised by the confusion she saw there. "Why do you care about Lidanya? You weren't the only one who wanted an end-of-the-universe fuck."

"I don't care," Tevos lied. "I was just… surprised you found the time, or the privacy."

Aria did not look convinced. "Yeah, well, she was a lot less opposed to telling me where your room was after she came. Not that she needed to. That cute assistant of yours found me a few minutes later and brought me right up here."

"I don't care, Aria," Tevos insisted, doing her best to force a neutral expression. "You can join with whomever you like, and so can I." But she knew she wouldn't, especially not after this - and that was assuming she managed to survive the next several weeks.

"You know, for a politician, you're an awful liar." Aria reached out to touch her shoulder, and Tevos flinched. She was not sure whether to pull away or lean closer. "If it bothers you when I fuck other people, I'll do it when you're not around. Just… don't read too much into it."

At first, Tevos thought Aria was joking. Teasing her. But when several seconds passed and she saw nothing but sincerity in Aria's face, she felt her heart beat faster. It was no commitment, no declaration of love, but coming from Aria, it was monumental. Even if Aria was not in love with her, even if Aria was incapable of being the bondmate she secretly wanted, she did care. She cared enough to sacrifice something just to make her happy. It was more than Tevos had ever expected.

"That isn't necessary," she said, hoping that Aria would not hear the break in her voice.

Aria shrugged. "I know." She pushed off the mattress and stretched, sliding her arms through the sleeves of her jacket and rotating her shoulders a few times. The corset came next, and Tevos could not help staring as each new strip of bare flesh was revealed. "So, do you have a shower in this tiny box or what?"

"I assume so." Tevos gestured at the far corner of the room. "I didn't bother to look, but there's a door."

Aria stripped off her gloves and shoved her pants down over her hips, leaving everything in a haphazard pile on the floor. Once she was completely naked, she sauntered over in the direction Tevos had pointed. Then, she turned to look back over her shoulder. "Well?"

Tevos stood up and unhooked the back of her dress. She needed a shower, and if it meant she would get to admire Aria's wet, smooth limbs under the warm spray, and perhaps even convince her to work out one of the knots behind the wing of her shoulderblade, that was just a bonus. She would deal with her feelings later. For now, it was enough to know that Aria felt something for her. Perhaps it wasn't love, but it was the only thing that had brought her any happiness over the past several days. She would take whatever Aria had to give, even if it wasn't everything she wanted.


	10. Epilogue

** Epilogue:**

The brilliant flash of light came while Tevos was listening over a static-filled comm link.

"-red all across the sky…"

"They've stopped firing! They've-"

"...Reapers are inactive! Repeat, the Reapers are inactive!"

Although she could only make out the edges of the words pouring through the speakers, the happy shouts were enough to tell her what had happened. The cheers were so loud that they made the sound distort into a crackling roar.

Without waiting for the two commandos assigned to protect her, Tevos rushed to the upper level of the bunker where she had taken shelter, pushing past a surprised looking medical officer on the stairway. Her guards hurried after her, nearly running into her from behind as she stopped short at the nearest window.

The sky was a sea of red. Pulsing crimson light filled the horizon, surging toward them in a great wave. All of the figures outside were frozen in shock, staring up with dumbfounded expressions. Once they realized what was happening, they let out cries of joy. Several dropped their weapons and embraced. Others fell to their knees and wept. Even more continued watching the red light as it burst above them in a brilliant flash, spreading out to every corner of the sky and, Tevos would find out later, every corner of the galaxy.

"Goddess," she murmured, bracing herself against the windowsill to support her shaking body. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't care enough to brush them aside. "She did it. Shepard actually did it…"

"Councilor!" Tevos looked up to see Neota running toward her, a smile spread across her face. "The Ascension is trying to hail you. The Reapers have shut down! They've-"

Tevos grabbed the side of Neota's arm, dragging her closer to the window and pointing up into the sky. "Look," she urged. The red wash of color above them was dotted with bursts of flame. Somehow, she knew that the distant explosions were Reaper ships and not their own. It was the first time since Saren's attack on the Citadel over three years ago that she had ever thought fire was beautiful.

When she finally tore her eyes away from the window, the room was in chaos. Everyone was laughing, sobbing, even throwing things into the air. Without thinking twice, Tevos pulled Neota into her arms and gave her a tight hug. When she felt streaks of wetness against her neck, she realized that Neota was crying, too. For a fleeting moment, she wished Aria was there to embrace her as well, but she was too overjoyed to let that thought linger for long.

The next several hours were a happy blur. More reports came in from all corners of the galaxy. First Palaven, then Tuchanka, and even Rannoch: on every single planet, the Reapers were falling to pieces in the sky. The tide of red had destroyed them. Even the sobering news that the Mass Relays would need to be repaired did little to dampen everyone's spirits. They were alive, and the war had been won.

It wasn't until Tevos was back aboard the Destiny Ascension, standing with Lidanya in the comm room and listening to the news flood in, that she finally heard the report she had been waiting for. As soon as Lidanya accepted the newest flashing connection, a familiar voice filled the room. "Athame's tits, you're not gonna believe what happened!"

Tevos's eyes flew open in surprise. Even without a solid vid connection, there was no doubt who was speaking to her. "Matriarch Aethyta? Is that you?"

"You bet your ass it's me! Who is this? Lidanya, did that big tin can of yours actually survive?"

"Yes, it did," Lidanya said, sounding more than a little indignant. "And to answer your question, you were just talking to Councilor Tevos, so you might want to watch your language."

"No shit? Well, let her tell everyone else, then. The Reapers are scrapmetal! My girls and I were hunkered down behind a temple in Serrice, trying to hold off a wave of those mutated asari. A red flash covered everything, and they just shut down. Never thought I'd be happy to see anything that color after the Reapers showed up. Damn good timing, because we were almost out of ammo, and our biotics were flagging. I've spent the last two hours trying to get our communications up and running again."

At first, Tevos could not force a response past the lump in her throat. She had to take several breaths and swallow to ease the tightness there before she could speak. "There are still survivors on Thessia?" She knew it was a ridiculous question, especially after the report Aethyta had just given, but she could scarcely believe it. When she had advised Asari High Command to send the bulk of their fleet to Earth, she thought she had all but guaranteed Thessia's destruction.

To her relief, her question did not seem to annoy Aethyta. "Not many of us, but we're here. We've already got crews pulling people out of the rubble and setting up medical tents."

For the second time that day, Tevos let tears run over her face without wiping them away. She blinked them away, smiling until her cheeks ached. "Thank you, Aethyta…"

"Bah, thank me when you bring the fleet back. By the way, have you heard anything about my kid? Shepard?"

Aethyta was not completely successful at disguising the worry in her voice, and Tevos felt a stab of empathy. She still had not heard from Aria or the band of mercs she had left with. "I'm sorry, but no one's found either of them yet. I'll send a transmission as soon as we know more."

"I'm taking that as a good sign," Aethyta said over the comm. "That human my girl runs around with never seems to stay dead for long."

Tevos let her smile spread again even though she knew Aethyta couldn't see it. "She doesn't, does she? May the Goddess watch over you, Aethyta. Take care of Thessia for us until we can come home."

"Well, you don't have to be all sappy about it. Don't worry about us, we can handle ourselves. Aethyta, out."

Lidanya ended the transmission and gave Tevos a wry look. "Some things never change, do they?"

Tevos shook her head. "If the Reapers couldn't convince Aethyta to improve her manners, nothing ever will."

Before Lidanya could respond, the doors behind them hissed open. Tevos turned at the sound, and her heart throbbed hard against the front wall of her chest as she saw a familiar finger leaning against the metal frame. "Ah, so this is where you've been hiding," Aria drawled. She had abandoned her usual trademark jacket for light black body armor, and she was still wearing her pistol at her hip. A mixture of dirt and blood was smeared along one side of her face, but otherwise, she looked unharmed.

Lidanya gave her a flirtatious smile, assuming the words were directed at her. "Aria T'Loak… nice to see all your important parts are still attached."

"It shouldn't be a surprise." She returned the smile, but Tevos noticed that Aria's eyes only lingered on Lidanya for a few moments before shifting over to her. Tevos let her look her fill. Any lingering feelings of jealousy or resentment she felt toward Lidanya were gone. Somehow, they didn't seem important anymore. "Councilor," Aria continued, "I passed that cute little assistant of yours on the way over. I think she was looking for you in your room."

Tevos caught the hint and headed for the door, only pausing long enough to murmur a brief, polite "excuse me" to Lidanya on her way out. Even though she knew it was a little risky, she couldn't resist brushing her body against Aria's as she passed by, and she swore she felt Aria's hips press into hers.

Instead of waiting for Aria to follow her, she took the elevator up to the next floor and returned to her temporary quarters. Just as she suspected, Neota was nowhere to be found. She smiled and began stripping out of her clothes, kicking off her shoes and unzipping the back of her dress. Soon, they were resting in a heap on the floor, and she draped herself across the bed, enjoying the feel of the sheets on her naked flesh.

There was a knock on the door before she even finished posing herself. A few moments later, Aria entered without bothering to wait for an invitation. The heat of her gaze made Tevos's face burn, but she tried not to look too eager as the doors closed. "That was quicker than I expected," she said, watching Aria kneel to unhook the clasps on her boots. "I thought Lidanya might keep you a little while."

Aria switched over to the other foot. "I stayed long enough to make it clear that she was a good fuck, but I had other plans tonight." Her second boot came off with a thump, and she went to work on the buckles around her thighs. "The rest is none of her business."

"Would you care to elaborate on those other plans?"

Tevos barely suppressed a shiver as Aria stood to her full height. With a quick motion of her hand, her breastplate fell away, and her gloves only lasted a few seconds longer. Aria's broad grin was a strange contrast to her unmistakably predatory movements as she strode toward the bed. "Well, I figure we've already gotten the end-of-the-world sex out of the way. Now, it's time for thank-the-goddess-we're-alive sex."

"Did you have anything specific in mind?" Tevos asked as the mattress dipped beneath Aria's weight.

Aria answered with a kiss instead of words, claiming her lips and cutting off her breath as she fell back against the pillows. Instinctively, Tevos brought her hands up to Aria's shoulders, digging her nails into the firm flesh there and pulling her closer. She kissed back as hard as she could, stroking her tongue along Aria's as it teased her lips apart and pushed forward. A soft growl vibrated between them she sank her teeth into the stripe that split Aria's lower lip, but Tevos couldn't be sure which one of them had made the sound.

Tevos pressed one of her thighs up between Aria's, and her breath hitched when she felt warmth slide over her skin. She pulled back from the kiss just in time to see Aria's eyes flutter shut at the unexpected pressure. Seizing her chance, she used her position to flip Aria over onto her back, pinning her down with the full weight of her body. It wasn't often that she was able to take the Queen of Omega by surprise, but when she did, it was always a very satisfying experience.

A look of shock crossed Aria's face, but she didn't resist as Tevos began trailing kisses along her chest, only pausing long enough to tug at the tip of her breast and circle it with her tongue. "I guess I wasn't the only one with a plan," she teased. "You want my azure that badly, huh?"

Tevos rolled her eyes and placed a sharp bite beside the dip of Aria's navel, but when she looked back up along the sleek line of her stomach, she could not hide her smile. "I stand by what I said the first time you took me in my office. You would be perfect if you'd just stop talking."

"Funny. I could say the same thing about you right now."

Refusing to be goaded any further, Tevos draped one of Aria's knees over her shoulder and used both hands to spread her thighs apart. She ran her tongue over her lips as she stared between Aria's legs, admiring the slick purple ridge of her clit and the shimmering folds just below.

"Well? I'm not just giving you something pretty to look at, you know…"

Tevos did not allow herself to be hurried. Despite her bravado, Aria clearly needed her, and she wanted to savor this moment. The Reapers were gone, Thessia would rebuild, and she was about to join with the woman she loved, even if Aria didn't quite love her back in the same way. It was more than she could have hoped for.

At last, she dipped her head and pulled the tip of Aria's clit between her lips. She circled her tongue over the stiff point, drawing it as far into her mouth as she could and grazing over the shaft with the very edges of her teeth. "Fuck!" Aria cried above her, and when Tevos felt strong hands grip the back of her crest, she decided to allow her one small victory. She had everything else she wanted.

Aria's hips began rocking against her mouth, searching for even more pressure and heat, but when Tevos saw her stomach muscles tense and begin to shiver, she released the swollen ridge between her lips with a soft pop. She hadn't survived a war only to let Aria come in less than a minute. Before the hands clutching at her head could pull her back, she dragged her tongue down to Aria's entrance and pushed inside. She was greeted with a burst of sweetness, and she took as much as she could into her mouth.

"Goddess, more of that," Aria panted, squeezing the back of her neck and grazing over the dips there with her nails. Tevos hummed and tried to force her tongue even deeper, letting Aria know the encouragement was more than welcome. She craved every touch, every taste, every moment with Aria that she could get. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that even though their arrangement wasn't perfect, she wouldn't be able to give it up. It brought her too much happiness.

Tevos spent as long as she could between Aria's thighs, drawing out every kind of sound imaginable. Sighs, growls, moans, and even a few gritted curses filtered down toward her, but she remained focused on her goal. She drank in every pulse of wetness, teased out every sharp spasm until Aria's inner muscles trembled on the edge of orgasm. Whether she had meant to or not, Aria had already given her so much. She wanted to give something of her own back.

When Aria's hips were practically levitating off of the bed, she finally kissed her way back up to the sensitive point of Aria's clit, drawing it between her lips and teasing it to throbbing hardness with firm strokes of her tongue. One shared heartbeat later, Aria was buried deep within her mind. This was the connection she craved, the closeness that had drawn her out of despair. As much as she appreciated the physical release Aria provided for her, it was what she had seen within their melds that had made her fall in love.

Before Aria could pick up on her secret thoughts, she latched onto the pleasure Aria was experiencing and redirected their shared attention to it instead. Desire ravaged her body, making all of her nerve endings sing with Aria's need. Her muscles trembled, her heart throbbed, and every time her tongue circled Aria's clit, her own hips bucked in response. Without even thinking, she shoved a hand between her legs, sliding two fingers inside of herself and grinding against the heel of her palm.

The extra pressure was enough to send Aria flying over the edge. Her low groans became a shout, and Tevos thought she heard something that sounded like her name before Aria's thighs clamped around her head. Another gush of heat poured over her chin, and the tight ridge of Aria's clit twitched in the seal of her lips. Her inner muscles shivered in time with Aria's, pulling tight around her fingers in a series of fluttering pulses. It still wasn't enough, and she drew her other hand back from Aria's thigh, sliding inside of her with one smooth thrust.

For a few breaths, the entire universe was hot, clinging muscle and a spill of silken warmth along both of her palms. She thought their shared contractions might shake her apart. But then their release faded to aftershocks, and Tevos finally felt the harsh grip on the back of her head begin to loosen. She looked up, and Aria's expression nearly brought another wave of tears to her eyes. It was one of the softest looks she had ever seen on her brooding lover's face. "Damn. I'm glad the Reapers didn't kill me. Missing out on that tongue of yours would have been a tragedy."

Tevos rested her cheek against Aria's sticky thigh and made a noise of exasperation. "I'm glad I was able to provide you with some incentive to come back."

"Keep giving me incentive like that, and you won't be able to get rid of me," Aria sighed, letting her head loll back onto the pillows.

Tevos smiled and placed one last kiss at the juncture of her thighs. "That's what I'm hoping."

**The End**

**. . .**

**AN: **I hope this was a satisfying ending! Be sure to tell me what you thought. It was fun exploring how and why Tevos's feelings developed while poor Aria was oblivious/still in denial. xD; I think it helps put Tevos's behavior from MMIP in more context.

In other news, I'm hoping to publish the start of a new story featuring Neota next week, and paperback copies of Dark Horizons should be available in about 2 weeks. =D I think they're beautiful, but just as a warning, they'll be kinda pricey. If you want to go cheap, the e-book is available here:

www dot amazon dot com/Dark-Horizons-ebook/dp/B00IP1EQIS/


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